The main risk of injury presented by routing comes from the sharp router bit. This is the case both when the tool is operational and when it is not. Routers are designed to work at very high rotational speeds. Incorrect operation can cause machine kickbacks. Only sharp router bits that are in perfect condition may be used. The router bits must be suitable and permitted for the relevant router. Blunt or damaged router bits can lead to strong vibrations, machine kickbacks and the router bit breaking. Injuries caused by the router bit can be avoided by taking the following measures:
Operate the machine with both hands, while holding it in the intended grip areas.
Remove the router bit from the router once you have finished working.
When trimming edges, the feed direction must always go against the router bit's rotational direction (upcut routing). When routing in the router bit's rotational direction (downcut routing), the machine can no longer be safely operated, especially with somewhat greater chip thicknesses. If the machine swerves significantly, you can lose control over the router, making the risk of an accident extremely high. The router must always be operated firmly and securely.
The feed pressure should be selected such that the speed of the machine does not drop too much and consequently does not cause vibrations.