Circular saws are used to cut a variety of woods of varying thickness and wood types. They can be used to make clean, precision-cut straight lines in wood that is placed on a table designed for circular saw use. Safety is important when using any power tools, including circular saws. Whether you are using an attached circular table saw or a hand-held circular saw, knowing how to properly use the tool safely is crucial.
Things to Avoid During Use - Keep your hands and clothing free and clear from the saw blade during use. When moving the saw around, never keep a hand on the trigger switch area. Disconnect the saw when moving it to another area. Do not try to force the saw when cutting, and do not twist or turn the saw during use. You should not try to force the blade guard into the open or closed position or reach under the blade guard. When using the saw to cut wood, check the wood before and during use to make sure nails, screws and other items stuck in the wood are not in the path of the saw blade. Never try to overreach to fully cut a piece of wood, and keep your balance when cutting wood. If the saw begins to shake or vibrate excessively or the blade does not seem to be moving at full speed, turn off the power and disconnect the saw before troubleshooting. When finishing a cut or lifting the saw out of a cut, do not release the trigger while the saw is still in the wood. Stopping the blade suddenly could cause the wood or saw to jump or create flying debris.