Every year, over 60,000 people are injured, often severely, by table saws. To prevent these injuries, SawStop has developed a revolutionary table saw that virtually eliminates the risk of losing a finger. To see what happens when the blade hits a simulated finger (a hot dog), push play or see this link [youtube].
I actually had a friend in high school lose two fingers on a table saw during shop class, it's a shame they didn't sell something like this back then.
use goggles, gloves to prevent debris in your hands, no lose or hanging clothes, tie up your hair, use a bandana or similar f you feel like, and hold on the 'sides' of the piecde your cutting, so you would have distance to the blade. I'm at a mechanical line, so I know this...
I dunno, if my finger were nicked like that hot dog was, I think that would be enough to make me very careful. Ouch!
Sure, but you could still drill the kids in safety: just don't tell them it's a safety saw and you'll always have it as a fallback.