You can consider yourself fortunate if you have not been injured sometime during your working career. By the use of guards, operators, when distracted, will not be injured by their machines. It is like seat belts in automobiles. Since being installed in cars, the user of seat belts are considerably better protected than those who elect not to belt up. Statistics have already proven this point.
Safety is a peculiar business.
Laws are passed to protect people. Some people complain that we are not doing enough, while other complain about what we have done. We have to protect each and every employee. Therefore, even though you do not think the guards on your machine are good, there are others who complain about them not being placed on their machines. In the long run, all employees benefit by the proper use of guards.