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Kickback, a hazard inherent to all power saws regardless of brand or style, is a leading cause of power saw injuries. It occurs when the material binds or pinches the saw blade during a cut. In a split second, kickback can jerk the saw out of your hands or shoot the piece of wood you're cutting back toward you.

"Kickback is common to anyone who picks up a power saw, whether you're a professional carpenter or a weekend do-it-yourselfer," says John Drengenberg, Consumer Affairs Manager for Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), the not-for-profit product safety testing and certification organization. "But by taking the time to learn how to use a saw safely and taking precautions to minimize the effects of kickback, anyone can cut with confidence."

Following are key tips* that will help you avoid kickback:

Never freehand cut a work piece. Freehanding causes crooked cuts and potential kickback.
A dull blade may cause kickback. Keep blades sharp.
Keep saw blades clean. A buildup of pitch or sap on the surface of the saw blade increases the thickness of the blade and also increases friction on the blade surface. These conditions cause an increase in the potential of a kickback.
Do not cut wet wood. It produces higher friction against the blade. Also, the blade tends to load up with wet sawdust, which leads to a much greater probability of kickback.
Never use a bent, broken or warped saw blade. The probability of binding and creating a kickback is greatly increased.
Overheating a saw blade can cause it to warp and create a kickback. Buildup of sap on the blades, insufficient set, dullness and unguided cuts can all cause an overheated blade.

* Tips from the Power Tool Institute.