Immersion blender safety?

I know a number of people who've gotten hurt from their immersion blender—including while off, when cleaning the blade—so I also wonder if there are ones that are safer than others. Thank you for raising this question!

Unplug the device before sticking your fingers in the blade area. Caveat: I don't recommend inserting fingers in that area, even with the power off. You can still get a nasty cut. Use the stick end of a wooden spoon or a spreader or knife to dislodge any extraneous material that sticks therein.

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I've also never seen one with a safety shut-off, and agree it's probably not realistic (as with many potentially dangerous tools when not properly handled.)
I do not, however, see how accusations of "stupidity" help convey that information.

I have one that I love and safety isn't really an issue. As a serious soup maker it is so much easier than using my old blender. It only runs while your finger is pressing it and if you are holding the container that the liquid is in with your other hand there isn't any problem. When done just unplug.

This is not a safety issue with the tool, it's a stupidity problem. You don't stick your hand into ANYTHING with a blade while it's plugged in- or for that matter, anything that moves. If your mother didn't tell you this, it inevitably says so in the manual that comes with the tool. They do now make tablesaws with a relay that shuts it off instantly if it encounters a finger (or a hot dog), but it adds hundreds of dollars to the price of the saw. It also trashes the blade if it engages- for users of a saw this pricey, probably another $100 plus. Much as people may wish it, technology will never replace common sense.

Hmm..I can sort of see how this could happen, but my instincts of life preservation (or at least finger preservation) have me unplugging before I do any prying even when I pray with my skinny silicone spatula. I have a Breville and love it, but there is no safety feature on it.

Never heard of one with a safety feature.
If you're that wary,
*permit yourself to get more sleep (always nice) :),
*have cold ready-to-eat food around for when you're too tired to focus,
*do as people in the article did - buy a sturdier machine that does what you need and has some safety features.