For those asking where they can get aftermarket splitters or riving knives, I got a set of splitters for my Jet ProShop from http://www.leestyron.com/sharksplitter.php. They're great.
Knowing what I know now, I wish I had purchased a table saw with a riving knife instead of the ProShop. With splitters, unless you make custom ZCIs with glued in splitters at various distances, you are always likely to have the splitter far enough away from the sawblade to render it ineffective. Riving knife OTOH follows the blade very closely.
Here is a link that might prove useful for an aftermarket conversion:http://www.garymkatz.com/ToolReviews/riving_knife.html
"... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
WQJudge
Tom, I'm glad you weren't hurt, but let's be realistic about what really happened here.
The reason your hand came close to the blade is because when you twisted your hand to cause the kickback, you moved your hand toward the blade, and you were standing in an off-balance position that didn't limit your reach.
I'm still a firm believer that standing in such a way as to try to stay "out of the line of fire" means that the user has to use unnatural arm motions that could put hands near the blade in the (now likely) event of a kickback. It just doesn't allow for good control of the workpiece. Stand behind the workpiece, just offline of the blade and push straight through. With wider pieces, I'll push through with my right hand, narrower pieces get a push stick.
It's kind of like having a bad accident jumping from a plane without a parachute, then declaring that jumping from the plane is dangerous...
WOW. Scary ! I had a kick incident 1 time and that was enough scared the crap outta me. Glad you didn't get hurt !!!!
"The element of competition has never worried me, because from the start, I suppose I realized wood contains so much inspiration and beauty and rhythm that if used properly it would result in an individual and unique object." - James Krenov
What you do speaks so loud, I cannot hear what you say. -R. W. Emerson