General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Woodworking Machinery Requirements

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.213

29 CFR 1910.213 governs woodworking machinery such as table saws, band saws, and jointers: circular saws must be guarded by a hood that completely encloses the blade above the table and equipped with a spreader and anti-kickback fingers, so operators are protected from blade contact and from kickback of the workpiece.

29 CFR 1910.213 at a glance

What it requires: Guarding of woodworking machines: hoods over blades, spreaders, and anti-kickback devices
Who it covers: General-industry employers operating woodworking machinery
Table saw rule: A hood must completely enclose the blade above the table (1910.213(c)(1))
Key duty: Provide blade hoods, spreaders, anti-kickback fingers, and accessible on-off controls
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: Kickback protection (spreader + anti-kickback fingers) is required, not just a blade guard

What 29 CFR 1910.213 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.213 sets detailed safety requirements for woodworking machinery: table saws, radial saws, band saws, jointers, planers, shapers, and similar equipment. Because these machines expose fast-moving blades and cutterheads and can throw a workpiece back at the operator, the standard prescribes specific guards for each machine type rather than relying on general guarding language alone.

For hand-fed circular ripsaws and crosscut saws, the standard requires a hood that completely encloses the portion of the blade above the table and self-adjusts to the thickness of the stock, plus a spreader (riving knife) to keep the kerf open behind the blade and anti-kickback fingers or dogs to stop the workpiece from being thrown back. Jointers must have the cutterhead guarded, and each machine must have a readily accessible on-off control.

1910.213 is the woodworking-specific member of the machine-guarding family, alongside the general standard (1910.212), the abrasive-wheel standard (1910.215), and power-transmission guarding (1910.219). It applies the same protect-against-contact-and-ejection principle in the detailed way that high-hazard woodworking equipment demands.

The regulatory text

“Each circular hand-fed ripsaw shall be guarded by a hood which shall completely enclose that portion of the saw above the table and that portion of the saw above the material being cut.”

29 CFR 1910.213(c)(1)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.213

Hand-fed circular saws must have a hood that completely encloses the blade above the table (1910.213(c)(1)).
Circular saws also require a spreader (riving knife) and anti-kickback fingers or dogs (1910.213(c)(2)–(3)).
Jointers must have the cutterhead guarded (1910.213(j)).
Each woodworking machine must have a readily accessible on-off control (1910.213(b)).
The standard prescribes specific guards per machine type, not just general guarding.
Kickback, the workpiece thrown back at the operator, is a primary hazard the guards address.
It is the woodworking member of the machine-guarding family (1910.212, .215, .219).

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.213 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.213
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1910.213

#	Employer obligation
1	Guard all woodworking machine blades and cutters
2	Install anti-kickback devices on table saws
3	Provide spreaders on circular saws
4	Use exhaust systems for dust collection
5	Ensure guards do not impede safe operation

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.213. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Woodworking Machinery violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.213 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

Circular saw operated without the required blade hood (1910.213(c)(1)).
Missing spreader (riving knife) behind the saw blade (1910.213(c)(2)).
Missing anti-kickback fingers or dogs (1910.213(c)(3)).
Jointer cutterhead not guarded (1910.213(j)).
No readily accessible on-off control on the machine (1910.213(b)).

A blade guard alone is not enough: kickback protection is separately required

Operators often think a hood over the blade satisfies the table-saw requirement, but 1910.213 requires three defenses together: the hood that encloses the blade, the spreader (riving knife) that holds the kerf open behind the blade, and the anti-kickback fingers or dogs that stop the workpiece from being hurled back. Kickback, not just blade contact, causes many table-saw injuries, because a board thrown back can pull the operator's hand into the blade. Removing the spreader 'for a non-through cut' and forgetting to replace it is a frequent, dangerous shortcut.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer checks that circular saws have the self-adjusting hood over the blade, a spreader behind the blade, and anti-kickback fingers, that jointers have the required guards over the cutterhead, and that each machine has an accessible on-off control. A table saw run with the blade guard removed is the classic finding.

Example: how a violation is cited

A cabinet shop runs a table saw with the blade guard and spreader removed; a board binds, kicks back, and pulls the operator's hand into the blade. OSHA cites 1910.213(c) for the missing hood, spreader, and anti-kickback device: the exact defenses against this injury, with penalties from $16,550.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Woodworking Machinery compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.213. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Fit each hand-fed circular saw with a self-adjusting hood that encloses the blade above the table.
Install and keep a spreader (riving knife) aligned behind the blade for through cuts.
Provide anti-kickback fingers or dogs and keep them adjusted to the stock.
Guard jointer cutterheads and other exposed cutting heads.
Ensure every machine has a readily accessible on-off control within reach of the operator.
Train operators on push sticks, feed direction, and never reaching over a running blade.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.213

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

Woodworking-machine citations follow amputations and are common in shops and mills. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514; removed blade guards and missing anti-kickback devices are the usual findings.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for Woodworking Machinery compliance

Table saws and other woodworking machines cause thousands of amputations and severe lacerations each year, and most involve blade contact or kickback that the required guards, spreaders, and anti-kickback fingers are designed to prevent. Removing them for a difficult cut is how most of these injuries happen.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.213

Weekly Site Safety Inspection Job Hazard Analysis Builder Inspection Action Plan

Woodworking Machinery penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.213.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.213

What guards does OSHA require on a table saw?

Under 1910.213(c), a hand-fed circular saw must have a hood that completely encloses the portion of the blade above the table and self-adjusts to the stock, a spreader (riving knife) aligned behind the blade, and anti-kickback fingers or dogs. Together these protect against blade contact and against the workpiece being thrown back at the operator.

What is kickback and how does 1910.213 prevent it?

Kickback is when a saw blade catches the workpiece and hurls it back toward the operator, often pulling a hand into the blade. 1910.213 prevents it with the spreader (riving knife), which keeps the saw kerf from pinching the blade, and anti-kickback fingers or dogs, which grip the stock and stop it from being thrown back. Both are required in addition to the blade hood.

Does every woodworking machine need an on-off control within reach?

Yes. Under 1910.213(b), each woodworking machine must have a power control that allows the operator to cut off the power without leaving their position at the point of operation, and provisions to lock out the control. Being able to stop the machine instantly is essential when a cut goes wrong.

How does 1910.213 differ from the general machine-guarding standard?

1910.212 is the general machine-guarding standard that applies broadly, while 1910.213 gives detailed, machine-specific requirements for woodworking equipment: the blade hood, spreader, anti-kickback fingers, and cutterhead guards. A woodworking machine can meet the general 1910.212 duty and still be cited under 1910.213 for a missing spreader or anti-kickback device.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.213

1910.213 was adopted at OSHA's inception in 1971 from the national consensus standard ANSI O1.1 for woodworking machinery, and its detailed per-machine guarding requirements (the blade hood, spreader, and anti-kickback fingers on saws) have remained a core defense against the amputations that woodworking equipment causes.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.213, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Serious Eye Damage Zero Energy State Competent Person

Related guides & articles

OSHA Machine Guarding Requirements Complete Guide OSHA Top 10 Most-Cited Violations 2026

Related OSHA standards

29 CFR 1910.212

Machine Guarding

#10 most cited

29 CFR 1910.215

Abrasive Wheels

29 CFR 1910.217

Power Presses

29 CFR 1910.219

Power Transmission

Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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