Here is a copy of an email I sent to SawStop and their response FYI:
MY LETTER
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 11:09 AM To: snipped-for-privacy@sawstop.com Subject: Petition Requesting Performance Standards to reduce table saw injury
Petition Requesting Performance Standards for a System To Reduce or Prevent Injuries From Contact With the Blade of a Table Saw (Petition No. CP 03-2)
Dear Sir or Madame:
This letter is in reference to the above Consumer Product Safety Commission petiton.
I am a hobbyist woodworker and currently own a Delta Unisaw 3HP 10" table saw. I was considering purchasing your invention. I am no longer considering this purchase. The reason for this is that I judge the companies that I do business with in a number of ways. One of these is the value of their product. Another is integrity. Your invention certainly has value. Your company, however, has absolutely no integrity.
The United States is a nation based on freedom and your efforts to increase your personal and corporate profits via reduction in all American's personal rights are deplorable. I was shocked and sickened to see your blatant use of the regulary system to force consumers into a situation where you and only you would profit.
I also intend to take every opportunity and to encourage the numerous fellow woodworkers I know to contact the Safety Commission and any other pertinent parties and express our opposition to this change in table saw safety regulation.
A free market is a wonderful thing. If you would have used this market as intended and let your product stand on its own merits then I could respect you. By choosing the route of forcing consumers to use your product you have clearly shown your true colors. You have chosen your own fate and the inevitable failure of your endeavor.
Sincerely,
Michael Logman
THEIR REPLY:
Thanks for the email and comments. We understand your position concerning government intervention. In many cases we would agree with you. However, in this case, where there are over 30,000 serious injuries each year, where information concerning the number and severity of injuries is not readily available to the public, and where manufacturers do not seem to care about the injuries, we think filing a petition for rulemaking is appropriate. In short, it makes more sense to petition for new safety rules than it does to live with the tremendous number of serious injuries. At least we think so.
Additionally, we hope that the petition will motivate other companies to adopt the technology so that it becomes available faster than it otherwise would. The petition also will allow the government to gather information concerning the economic cost to society of table saw injuries, which will be available to the public and will be helpful in deciding whether to create new safety regulations.
Finally, as a point of clarification, our proposed standard requires manufacturers to make saws safer, just as car manufacturers are required to put seat belts and airbags in cars. Our proposed standard does not require consumers to use a particular type of saw.
Anyway, thanks for your comments.
David Fanning
SawStop, LLC
22409 SW Newland Road 503-638-6201 Wilsonville, OR 97070 503-638-8601 fax snipped-for-privacy@sawstop.com
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Nothing too surprising in their reply, and it probably is a form letter that they send to anyone complaining about their business tactics. Leon, you really should ask them if you can be a spokesman for their company, you and this Fanning guy are definitely on the same wavelength.
Mike