Abstract: Employee #1, a vocational wood shop instructor at a local junior high school, was cutting a student's project on a table saw in the classroom shop. The students were not allowed to use the table saw for safety reasons. Employee #1 was cutting a wood block that kicked out of the saw and struck him in the chest. As Employee #1 fell backwards, his left hand came in contact with the blade, which severed three of his fingers and destroyed the middle knuckle of the remaining finger. The fingers were reattached, a metal plate was implanted, and surgery was performed on torn tendons of the hand. The saw guard was not a heavy-duty type and tended to twist and become distorted during use. The table saw was old and did not meet professional standards.