WASHINGTON, DC — The National Consumers League (NCL) said it strongly opposes the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recommendation to roll back proposed safety standards for table saws. 

According to the group, each year, an estimated 54,850 Americans suffer blade-contact injuries—including 4,000 amputations—costing victims their livelihoods and society more than $4 billion annually.

In August, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said it planned to withdraw “several existing and pending rulemakings that no longer align with agency priorities, and which fail to advance safety.” Leading the list of six proposed rules was the Safety Standard Addressing Blade-Contact Injuries on Table Saws (76 Fed. Reg. 62678). 

Subsequently, the Federal Trade Commission on Sept. 17, said the proposal to require U.S. table saw manufacturers to exclusively use one company's patented finger detection technology should be dropped along with more than 170 other regulations that hamper competition, according to a Reuters report.

The NCL explained that Active Injury Mitigation (AIM) technology has been available for years. It stops spinning blades in under five milliseconds, preventing 70–90% of injuries. This proven, life-saving technology turns devastating amputations into minor cuts. Yet most manufacturers continue to resist safety mandates.

“It is outrageous that the FTC would put the profits of table saw manufacturers over the safety of American workers and families,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. In industry terms this is, technology neutral. AIM technology prevents injuries, and calling it anticompetitive is a slap in the face to the tens of thousands of people maimed every year. No one should lose a hand or a career because regulators refused to act.”  

NCL said the FTC action "underscores why NCL is building a coalition of victims, medical experts, and lawmakers to demand nationwide adoption of AIM technology. We will not back down until every consumer is protected from preventable harm."