A power saw comprising a safety component, the power saw having platform for supporting a workpiece, a rotating cutting blade, an arm assembly supporting the cutting blade, an arm pivot mount pivotably supporting the arm assembly on the platform for pivoting the blade toward a workpiece supported on the platform, an upper guard on the arm assembly configured to protect the operator from the top portion of the cutting blade, and a lower guard configured to protect the operator from a rear portion of the cutting blade, the safety component comprising: a rear guard including a base portion and a pair of arms (36a, 36b) extending from the base portion and spaced apart to form a generally U-shape defining an opening for receiving the cutting blade between the arms (36a, 36b); and a pivot mount configured to pivotably mount the rear guard relative to the arm assembly to receive a rear portion of the cutting blade adjacent the arm pivot mount when the rear guard is in a deployed position; wherein each arm (36a, 36b) includes a shroud portion (39a, 39b) extending from each arm (36a, 36b) and configured to overlap at least a portion of the cutting blade when the rear guard is in the deployed position receiving the cutting blade, said shroud portion (39a, 39b) sized to prevent operator contact with the cutting blade, and wherein at least one of said arms (36a, 36b) includes a finger extending generally radially outward from the pivot mount toward the cutting blade, the finger sized and arranged to contact a workpiece supported on the platform, whereby as the cutting blade is pivoted downward onto the workpiece the finger and the rear guard are pivoted upward, characterized in that the power saw includes a chip deflector mounted to a rear portion of the arm assembly, wherein the pivot mount is configured to pivotably mount the rear guard to the chip deflector, wherein the base portion is configured to fit with the lower end of the chip deflector, and wherein the rear guard is mounted to the chip deflector to translate upward, or to move with a combination of translation and rotation, when the fingers contact the workpiece. a rear guard including a base portion and a pair of arms (36a, 36b) extending from the base portion and spaced apart to form a generally U-shape defining an opening for receiving the cutting blade between the arms (36a, 36b); and a pivot mount configured to pivotably mount the rear guard relative to the arm assembly to receive a rear portion of the cutting blade adjacent the arm pivot mount when the rear guard is in a deployed position; wherein each arm (36a, 36b) includes a shroud portion (39a, 39b) extending from each arm (36a, 36b) and configured to overlap at least a portion of the cutting blade when the rear guard is in the deployed position receiving the cutting blade, said shroud portion (39a, 39b) sized to prevent operator contact with the cutting blade, and wherein at least one of said arms (36a, 36b) includes a finger extending generally radially outward from the pivot mount toward the cutting blade, the finger sized and arranged to contact a workpiece supported on the platform, whereby as the cutting blade is pivoted downward onto the workpiece the finger and the rear guard are pivoted upward, characterized in that the power saw includes a chip deflector mounted to a rear portion of the arm assembly, wherein the pivot mount is configured to pivotably mount the rear guard to the chip deflector, wherein the base portion is configured to fit with the lower end of the chip deflector, and wherein the rear guard is mounted to the chip deflector to translate upward, or to move with a combination of translation and rotation, when the fingers contact the workpiece.