In my experience, what gets you bit with a miter saw is trying to cut a very small piece that isn’t properly constrained by the fence, the saw kicks back, sending the blade back/up, the work and the fingers trying to hold it down forward/in, badda bing badda boom you get a good look at your philanges.

If the work isn’t long enough to hold to the fence/table with your entire free hand clear of the blade action, you need to use an auxiliary fence and a hold down stick. If you do a lot of small stuff like that. Or, consider using a sled on a table saw. Or, get a miter box and cut it with a back saw.