Table Saw Safety

A simulation-based safety training that lets learners practice critical table saw decisions — without real-world risk

Experience The Project

Overview

An interactive PPE and table saw safety simulation built in Storyline 360.
Table saw injuries are both common and severe, yet many safety trainings rely on passive instruction that does not prepare learners for real-world decision making. This project demonstrates how engaging simulation-based learning can reinforce safety-critical behaviors by allowing learners to practice, make mistakes, and correct them in a risk-free environment.

Audience: Workshop members new to using a table saw

Responsibilities: Instructional Designer & eLearning Developer

Analyzing injury data and safety risks
Designing the instructional approach and interactions
Developing the full Articulate Storyline experience
Creating all visual assets and interface elements

Tools Used: Articulate Storyline, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop)

Experience The Project

The Problem

Table saws are one of the most dangerous tools in a woodshop. In the United States they account for approximately 30,000 injuries annually and are a leading cause of serious hand injuries and amputations. Notably, severe injuries occur not only among beginners, but also among experiences users with many years of experience.

Traditional safety training often relies on written guides or passive instruction, doing little to prepare learners for real-world decision making at the machine.

The Solution

This project uses scenario-based simulation to let learners actively practice safe table saw operation. Instead of reading static rules, users interact with the environment by:

Selecting appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
Configuring the table saw correctly for different types of cuts (rip cuts vs. cross cuts)
Reviewing the condition of a board to determine if it is safe to cut (knots, nails in boards)
Receiving immediate, context-specific feedback when unsafe choices are made

The simulation emphasizes learning through consequences, making safety concepts more memorable and transferable to real-world use.

The Objectives

By the end of the eLearning experience users will be able to choose the proper PPE for table saw work as well as demonstrate safe table-saw operation practices for simple rip and cross cuts.