Safety is not an absolute state.
Rod Peterson -- Ormond Beach
>Moreover, it is not even a pure state. As others have intimated, practically everything we do has an element of risk�to be totally safe requires an hermetically sealed residence, no sharp edges, all objects large enough to not be capable of swallowing, non-flammable, soft...etc., ad absurdum. Each of us learns to make choices as to how much risk we are willing to assume in order to practice our daily tasks.
SWMBO and I have a regular discussion about this regarding driving. I can do things driving that scare her to death. I'm not talking about two wheels or zero to 60 in 4.9 seconds; I'm talking about changing lanes between other vehicles, hitting gaps at intersections when making left turns, driving at speed, etc.
She cannot visualize moving targets or space and I did it for a living for thirty years. Moreover, I discovered a long time ago that she sees the vehicle moving at absolute speed (fence posts whizzing by) and I see it as relative (slowly gaining on the truck in the next lane). The question I ask her is, "should I reduce my driving techniques, which are well within my envelope of comfort, experience, and capabilities to her envelope of same?" I contend no.
Similarly, as comfort, experience, and capabilities extend to all the mechanical things we do, should a brand new devotee to woodworking attempt the same activities as someone with thirty years of experience on a piece of shop equipment? Absolutelty not!
More importantly, no one should expect that veteran to restrain his activities to the comfort, experience, and capability envelope of the beginner.
I was in a discussion once concerning safety practices on another tool. It was somewhat heated and the other party seemed quite adamant regarding his position based on what I assumed was a relatively similar envelope of comfort, experience, and capability as mine.
I was astounded to learn that the individual was so afraid of the machine that he had purchased what most of us would consider a convenience accesory in order to run the particular machine. It didn't even occur to him that he didn't have any defensible foundation upon which to pontificate about safety. I realized at that point that further discussion was pointless.
Unfortunately, there appear to be a few people who perhaps have no business running machinery who seem to be setting the standard of safety for the rest of us. I, for one, do not intend to reduce my operations which are well within my envelope of comfort, experience, and capabilities to accommodate some one whose envelope is less expanded than mine.
Having said all of that, an aducated assumption of risk is based on an accurate assessment of same. To the inexperienced (and isolated, as much of our woodworking is) some of that assessment is uninformed and questions to or comments by elder practitioners should be lent greater weight than those from someone just starting out.
Of course there are some things that we can probably all agree are safety absolutes�eye protection, hearing protection, push sticks, etc. Mainly, though, to expand on the premise of the subject line, my safe state and your safe state may not be exactly the same thing.
Rod
