title: The Impact of Safety Regulations on the Incidence of Upper-Extremity Power Saw Injuries in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Over 50,000 power saw-related injuries occur annually in the United States. Numerous safety measures have been implemented to protect the users of these tools. This study was designed to determine which interventions, if any, have had a positive impact on the safety of the consumer or laborer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We queried the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database for hand and upper-extremity injuries attributed to power saws from 1997 to 2014. Demographic information including age, sex, date of injury, device, location, body part involved, diagnosis, and disposition was recorded. We performed statistical analysis using interrupted time series analysis to evaluate the incidence of injury with respect to specific safety guidelines as well as temporal trends including patients' age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An 18% increase in power saw-related injuries was noted from 1997 (44,877) to 2005 (75,037). From 2006 to 2015 an annual decrease of 5.8% was observed. This was correlated with regulations for power saw use by the Consumer Safety Product Commission (CPSC) and Underwriters Laboratories. Mean age of injured patients increased from 48.8 to 52.9 years whereas the proportion of subjects aged less than 50 years decreased from 52.8% to 41.9%. These trends were most pronounced after the 2006 CPSC regulations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of power saw injuries increased from 1997 to 2005, with a subsequent decrease from 2006 to 2015. The guidelines for safer operation and improvements in equipment, mandated by the CPSC and Underwriters Laboratories, appeared to have been successful in precipitating a decrease in the incidence of power saw injuries to the upper extremity, particularly in the younger population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The publication of safety regulations has been noted to have an association with a decreased incidence in power saw injuries. Based on this, clinicians should take an active role in their practice as well as in their professional societies to educate and counsel patients to prevent further injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Division of Plastic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Vosbikian
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Division of Plastic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Carl M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Division of Plastic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Ashlyn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Byers
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Adva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutman
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Novack
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Division of Plastic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Electronic address: matt.iorio@bidmc.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Iorio
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003257:Consumer Product Safety / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D033161:Government Regulation; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D062489:Health Impact Assessment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007221:Industry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012449:Safety / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Hand lacerations; power saw; safety regulations; table saw