1910.213(c)(1): Hood Guard for Hand-Fed Ripsaws
Each circular hand-fed ripsaw must have a hood that completely encloses the saw above the table and above the material being cut. The hood must adjust itself to the material thickness, stay in contact with it without much resistance, be strong enough for normal use, protect the operator from splinters and broken teeth, be soft enough not to break teeth, and stay aligned with the saw.
Key takeaways
- 1910.213(c)(1) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart O).
- OSHA cited it 345 times in the last 3 years, in 345 inspections, with $1,304,106 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: MN (36), FL (24), CT (23).
- Related part: 1910.213(c) Hand-fed ripsaws (794 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.213(c)(1) is one requirement inside 1910.213 Woodworking machinery requirements, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart O). The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(1) 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. The hood and mounting shall be arranged so that the hood will automatically adjust itself to the thickness of and remain in contact with the material being cut but it shall not offer any considerable resistance to insertion of material to saw or to passage of the material being sawed. The hood shall be made of adequate strength to resist blows and strains incidental to reasonable operation, adjusting, and handling, and shall be so designed as to protect the operator from flying splinters and broken saw teeth. It shall be made of material that is soft enough so that it will be unlikely to cause tooth breakage. The hood shall be so mounted as to insure that its operation will be positive, reliable, and in true alignment with the saw; and the mounting shall be adequate in strength to resist any reasonable side thrust or other force tending to throw it out of line. 345 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.213.
Injuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.213(c)(1).
At 3:45 a.m. on December 5, 2023, three employees were operating a resaw stacker. Coworker #1 was operating the infeed side, while Coworker #2 trained Employee #1 on operating the stacker side. The resaw stacker takes pre-cut boards and rips them down to smaller sizes…
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 21 |
| 2024 | 148 |
| 2025 | 111 |
| 2026 | 65 |
Top states: MN (36), FL (24), CT (23), NC (21), UT (20)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| RICELAND CABINET CORPORATION | WOOSTER, OH | $82,512 |
| LOUDOUN STAIRS INC. | PURCELLVILLE, VA | $79,365 |
| BON ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK, LLC | PENNSAUKEN, NJ | $33,103 |
| RJ STAAB STONE COMPANY OF FLORIDA, LLC | NEWBERRY, FL | $32,265 |
| GOLD COUNTRY CASINO & RESORT | OROVILLE, CA | $23,506 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.213(c)(1), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.213(c)(1).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.213(c) Hand-fed ripsaws 794 citations
- 1910.213(c)(3) 246 citations
- 1910.213(c)(2) 203 citations
Get your crew competent
Trainers on Black Belt Safety: Marc Harvey, Dana Reyes
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Frequently asked questions
What must the ripsaw hood cover?
The portion of the saw above the table and the portion above the material being cut.
Must the hood adjust to the material?
Yes. It must automatically adjust to the thickness of and remain in contact with the material being cut.
What must the hood protect against?
Flying splinters and broken saw teeth.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.213 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-21
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.