A table saw includes a safety system to protect a user from injury. The safety system detects a sensed condition and rapidly moves a saw blade away from the user. The safety system includes a dual ratchet mechanism to prevent the blade from rebounding back above a work surface after an initial rapid retraction of the blade. The table saw has a swing arm that rotates to move the blade below the work surface. A first ratchet engages a first contact surface of the swing arm after rotation of the swing arm over a first range of angular displacements to prevent counter rotation of the swing arm. A second ratchet engages a second contact surface of the swing arm after rotation of the swing arm over a second range of angular displacements to prevent counter rotation of the swing arm.