have never used a blade guard and have on ocaission run a finger into a moving blade with no problems, except once I received a minor skin tear when using a larger blade #12.
My grandaughter did receive a bruise from the blade tightener knob. A guard would not have prevented that as the tightener knob is outside of any protection the guard would have offered.
Cedar is a demon to me The dust effects respiratory things and gives me blisters on my nose and cheeks. A toxicoligest person told me the eyes, ears and pores on ones skin are all an entry point for toxics