Was said:
     If the blade is well above the work the blade tends to pass more 
vertically
  There are available "finger boards" that can be bought or easily made 
that push the work piece against a fence, and at the same time make a 
ratchet of sorts to help prevent kick back. Also there are pawl like 
teeth available that are on a bracket directly behind the blade that do 
stop kick backs. These help reduce the need to have body parts near the 
blade. And simple push sticks from scraps help a lot. There are many 
tricks of the trade to help with safety, but just being aware is great. 
I always chuckle when on a shop DIY TV show, they say "Read and 
understand the safety in the manual"  Much the same when a newbie asks a 
question on the list. Somewhere one needs to start, chicken or egg bit. :)
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