24 Table Saw Injury Statistics for Home Projects (2026)
Cited data on how many people are hurt on table saws, what the injuries are, which saws cause them and what they cost.
US emergency departments treated an average of about 30,600 table saw blade-contact injuries a year from 2010 to 2021, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. A blade-contact injury is any injury where a hand or other body part touches the spinning blade. Almost all of them hit the fingers, and thousands each year are amputations. The 24 statistics below cover how many people get hurt, which saws cause it, what the injuries cost and what safety tech does. For trim, shelving and built-ins, book a vetted local carpenter instead.
All figures come from the CPSC's November 2023 supplemental proposed rule on table saws, published in the US Federal Register, and the CPSC's September 2025 notice withdrawing that rule. They use the CPSC's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) hospital sample and its 2017 special study of table saw injuries. We found no Canadian national data on table saw injuries, so these are US figures, and costs are in US dollars. All sources were checked on October 31, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- About 30,600 ER-treated table saw blade injuries a year in the US from 2010 to 2021 (CPSC).
- 96.4% of ER-treated blade injuries involved a finger in 2017 (CPSC).
- 2,800 amputations came from table saw blade contact in 2017 alone (CPSC).
- 88.9% of injuries happened with no blade guard in use (CPSC).
- $3.97 billion a year in societal costs, about $80,650 per injury (CPSC).
- The proposed safety rule was withdrawn on September 29, 2025, so no US rule requires blade-stopping tech (Federal Register).
How many people are hurt on table saws each year?
Tens of thousands. US emergency departments treat about 30,000 table saw blade injuries a year, and the count barely moved from 2010 to 2021. Add clinics and doctors' offices, and the CPSC puts the total at about 49,176 treated injuries a year. About 1 in 10 of those injuries ends in a hospital stay.
1. About 30,600 ER visits a year for blade contact
NEISS data shows an average of about 30,600 table saw blade-contact injuries treated in US emergency departments each year from 2010 to 2021 (CPSC). That is about 84 a day.
2. 49,176 medically treated injuries in 2017
The CPSC's injury cost model adds an estimated 22,675 injuries treated outside the ER to the 26,501 ER cases in its 2017 study. That gives a total of about 49,176 medically treated blade-contact injuries for the year (CPSC).
3. 43.7% were treated in doctors' offices or clinics
About 21,504 of those injuries (43.7%) were treated in doctors' offices or clinics, and 1,171 (2.4%) went straight to a hospital bed without an ER visit (CPSC).
4. 9.8% of treated injuries ended in a hospital stay
Overall, about 9.8% of medically treated table saw blade injuries led to a hospital stay, either straight away or after an ER visit (CPSC).
5. 2020 had the most ER visits, at 34,600
Yearly NEISS estimates ranged from 29,500 (2012 and 2013) to 34,600 (2020). The CPSC found no statistically significant trend up or down over the 12 years (CPSC).
What kinds of injuries do table saws cause?
Mostly cut and broken fingers. In the CPSC's 2017 study, 96.4% of ER-treated blade injuries involved a finger. Cuts made up 60.9% of cases, fractures 20.6% and amputations 10.7%. Table saws also cause more amputations than any other workshop tool the CPSC tracks.
6. 96.4% of injuries hit a finger
Of an estimated 26,500 ER-treated blade-contact injuries in 2017, about 25,600 (96.4%) involved the finger (CPSC).
7. 2,800 amputations in one year
An estimated 2,800 of the 2017 ER cases (10.7%) were amputations (CPSC). That is more than 7 a day.
8. 60.9% were cuts and 20.6% were fractures
The other common diagnoses in 2017 were 16,100 lacerations (60.9%) and 5,500 fractures (20.6%) (CPSC).
Source: CPSC 2017 Special Study (Federal Register, November 2023). The 7.8% "other" share is the remainder after the three listed diagnoses.
9. 33.4% of amputations led to a hospital stay
About 33.4% of table saw amputations ended in a hospital admission, against 14.2% of fractures and 5.9% of cuts (CPSC).
10. Table saws caused 52.4% of workshop amputations
Compared with all other workshop products, table saws accounted for an estimated 52.4% of workshop-product amputations in 2015 (CPSC).
Which table saws cause the most injuries?
Small bench saws cause the most injuries because they are the most common, but contractor saws have the highest injury rate per saw in use. Missing blade guards show up in almost 9 of 10 cases. Saws that did not meet the voluntary safety standard carried more than 7 times the risk of those that did.
11. Bench saws were behind 60.9% of injuries
About 60.9% of medically treated blade injuries involved bench saws, 27.1% contractor saws and 9.1% cabinet saws. About 3% involved saws of unknown type (CPSC).
12. Contractor saws had 951 injuries per 100,000 saws
Using 2017 data, there were about 951 injuries per 100,000 contractor saws in use, 559 per 100,000 bench saws and 306 per 100,000 cabinet saws (CPSC).
13. 88.9% of injuries happened with no blade guard in use
Of the estimated 26,500 ER-treated blade injuries in 2017, the blade guard was not in use in about 23,600 (88.9%) (CPSC). That held for both older guards and newer modular guards.
14. Non-compliant saws carried 7.19 times the risk
The 2017 study found the risk of a blade-contact injury was 7.19 times greater on a saw that did not meet the voluntary standard than on one that did (CPSC).
15. No drop in injuries since guards became standard
A voluntary standard has required modular blade guards on new table saws since 2010. The CPSC found no statistically significant drop in the number or severity of blade injuries from 2010 to 2021 (CPSC).
16. About 10 million table saws were in use in 2021
The CPSC estimated about 8.2 million table saws in US use in 2017, including 5.35 million bench saws. Its yearly series puts the count at about 10 million by 2021, with 29.9 injuries per 10,000 saws (CPSC).
How much do table saw injuries cost?
About $3.97 billion a year in the US, the CPSC says, or roughly $80,650 per injury. That counts medical bills, lost work and pain and suffering. Amputations are only about 1 in 11 injuries, but they make up more than half of the total cost.
17. $3.97 billion a year in societal costs
The present value of total injury costs for the 49,176 medically treated injuries came to about $3.97 billion (2021 US dollars). That works out to about $80,650 per injury (CPSC).
18. Amputations were 9.1% of injuries but 55.3% of costs
Amputations made up about 9.1% of medically treated injuries but almost 55.3% of the total estimated cost (CPSC).
19. 31% of costs are medical bills and lost work
Medical costs and work losses made up about 31% of the total, or about $1.2 billion. Pain and suffering made up the other 69% (CPSC).
20. Each cabinet saw carries $12,865 in injury costs over its life
Spread across saws in use, the present value of injury costs over a saw's working life ranged from $3,503 per bench saw to $5,750 per contractor saw and $12,865 per cabinet saw (CPSC).
Does blade-stopping safety tech work?
The CPSC thinks so. Saws with active injury mitigation (AIM) detect contact with a person and act to stop or reduce the injury. The CPSC assumed this tech would cut injury costs by about 90%. Its proposed rule to require it was withdrawn in September 2025, so buyers still have to choose it themselves.
21. Over 7,000 AIM activations with no severe injuries
The CPSC cites SawStop data showing over 7,000 activations of its AIM system with no severe injuries (CPSC). The CPSC's own model still assumed a more cautious 90% cut in injury costs.
22. Only 17% of reported accidents involved kickback
Kickback is when the saw throws the wood back at the user. Comments from the Power Tool Institute say only 17% of accidents reported to its members from 2007 to 2015 involved kickback (CPSC).
23. AIM saws could cost 20% to 30% more
One maker told the CPSC the rule would raise a saw's retail price by about 30%, royalties included. Another estimated 20% before royalties. SawStop contractor saws ranged from $1,999 to $2,398 (US) (CPSC).
24. The rule would have addressed 49,176 injuries a year
The CPSC said its proposed rule would prevent or reduce about 49,176 injuries a year, with net benefits of $1.28 billion to $2.32 billion (CPSC). The CPSC withdrew the proposal as of September 29, 2025, and said it does not plan to issue a final rule (Federal Register).
What this means for homeowners
- Keep the guard on. Almost 9 in 10 ER-treated table saw injuries happened with no blade guard in use.
- Be wary of old saws. Saws that miss the voluntary standard carried 7.19 times the injury risk, and no rule now requires blade-stopping tech on new saws.
- Weigh DIY honestly. Our DIY vs hiring a pro statistics, ladder safety statistics and nail gun injury statistics show where home projects go wrong, and our carpenter cost guide shows what hiring out costs.
- Know the trade. Our carpenter statistics cover Ontario wages, training and job outlook.
- Pro House Maintenance is free for homeowners and matches you with local pros who passed WSIB, insurance, reference and background checks. Compare the best carpenters in Toronto or request free written quotes for trim, shelving and built-ins.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are injured by table saws each year?
US emergency departments treated an average of about 30,600 table saw blade-contact injuries a year from 2010 to 2021, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says. Counting clinics and doctors' offices, it puts the total at about 49,176 medically treated injuries in 2017.
How many table saw injuries are amputations?
An estimated 2,800 table saw blade-contact injuries treated in US emergency departments in 2017 were amputations, or 10.7% of the total. The CPSC says table saws caused 52.4% of all amputations linked to workshop products in 2015, more than any other tool in that group.
Do blade guards prevent table saw injuries?
Only when they are on the saw. In the CPSC's 2017 study, the blade guard was not in use in an estimated 88.9% of ER-treated blade-contact injuries. The CPSC also found no drop in injuries from 2010 to 2021, even after new saws had to ship with modular guards.
How much do table saw injuries cost?
The CPSC puts the yearly societal cost of table saw blade-contact injuries at about $3.97 billion (US, 2021 dollars), or about $80,650 per injury. Amputations were 9.1% of injuries but 55.3% of the cost. Medical bills and lost work made up 31% of the total.
Should I hire a carpenter instead of cutting wood myself?
For trim, shelving or built-ins that need many precise cuts, a pro is often the safer choice. The CPSC found 96.4% of ER-treated table saw injuries hit the fingers. Pro House Maintenance is free for homeowners and matches you with local pros who passed WSIB, insurance, reference and background checks.