Geo wrote:

Never underestimate the power of the consumer to get injured in spite

of these safety devices. Then, nver underesstimate the power of the
consumer to remove these devices, get injured, then blame the
manufacturer for a) failing to design a safe device; b) failing to
forsee that the user would remove the safety device and plow a body
part into a spinning blade; and c) anything else a sharp lawyer could
come up with to earn a buck.

Amen, Amen, Amen.

My employees make it a point to take off such devices as they think
they are for weenies. Now the problem is that when you take of some of
he new safety devices on equipment that you make the tool 2X as
dangerous as it was before.

At least if you have the safety devices on the machine you have a
chance in court to defend yourself by proving you put some time and
money into the workplace to make it safer. I fear that soon the
attorneys will have a new gambit to play though:

"How come you didn't install a second safety feature on the first
safety feature to make sure it couldn't be removed?"

Robert