94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB0450

 

Introduced 1/26/2005, by Rep. Kevin Joyce

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Electrical Saw Safety Act. Requires a saw manufacturer to retool its production line to install the SawStop safety device on all electrical saws.


LRB094 06049 RXD 36109 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB0450 LRB094 06049 RXD 36109 b

1     AN ACT concerning safety.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Electrical Saw Safety Act.
 
6     Section 5. Legislative findings.
7     (a) The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports
8 that there were approximately 33,000 injuries from table and
9 bench saws in 1998 that were sufficiently serious to require a
10 hospital visit. Of these injuries, approximately 95% were hand
11 and finger injuries, with approximately 3000 amputations of one
12 or more fingers.
13     (b) Injuries from table and bench saws can be minimized or
14 completely avoided with SawStop technology.
15     (c) The SawStop system works by recognizing the difference
16 in the electrical properties of wood and a user. The system
17 induces a high-frequency electrical signal on the blade of a
18 table saw and monitors this signal for changes caused by
19 contact between the blade and a user's body. The signal remains
20 unchanged when the blade cuts wood because of the relatively
21 small inherent electrical capacitance and conductivity of
22 wood. However, when a user contacts the blade while the saw is
23 operating, the electrical signal changes because of the
24 relatively large inherent capacitance of the user's body.
25 SawStop system detects this change in the electrical signal and
26 immediately forces a brake into the teeth of the blade.
27     (d) The SawStop brake absorbs the energy of the blade,
28 bringing the blade to a complete stop in approximately 5
29 milliseconds.
30     (e) The SawStop system can be used with practically any
31 type of woodworking equipment, such a miter saws, chop saws,
32 radial arm saws, circular saws, sliding table saws, jointers,

 

 

HB0450 - 2 - LRB094 06049 RXD 36109 b

1 band saws, and shapers. The electronics, detection and firing
2 systems are the same, with the brake mechanism tending to vary
3 between different types of woodworking equipment.
4     (f) Saws equipped with the SawStop system are not yet
5 available for purchase. Many manufacturers have expressed
6 interest in the system, but none have committed to implement
7 the product.
8     (g) The General Assembly finds that the installation of the
9 SawStop system in electrical saws is necessary to reduce the
10 countless injuries caused by electrical table saws and other
11 woodworking equipment daily.
 
12     Section 10. SawStop installation; electrical saws. A saw
13 manufacturer shall retool its production line to install the
14 SawStop safety device on all electrical saws.