Nail gun safety is crucial in construction. Historically, accidental thumb hammer blows to carpenters and builders most likely resulted in swelling extremities. While undoubtedly uncomfortable, the “damage” was typically minimal and resolved within a few days.
Nail guns, on the other hand, are now used by the vast majority of carpenters and construction workers to boost productivity.
Although nail gun equipment has safety features, users are still essentially using a tool that has the potential to result in fatal puncture wounds.
Nail Gun Risks
An estimated 37,000 emergency department visits a year, sixty percent of which are work-related, are attributed to nail guns, which are a major cause of injuries for residential carpenters. The most frequent injuries are puncture wounds to the hands and fingers, although nail guns can also cause more serious accidents and even fatalities.
Similarly, injuries from nail guns happen to two out of every five residential carpenter trainees over the course of four years, which is fairly prevalent.
A variety of diverse scenarios can result in nail gun injuries, including:
- Unintentional discharge of nails caused by contact trigger activation.
- Accidental nail piercing through a piece of material that is too short.
- Nails that ricochet off of a hard surface or metal object that comes into contact with the body.
- Wounds from punctures caused by uncomfortable nailing positions.
- Bypassing safety features in order to hasten construction.
- Creating musculoskeletal problems over time from holding large nail guns all the time.
How To Set Up Team Safety Procedures For Nail Guns
Employers should provide thorough and in-depth training in appropriate skills and procedures for all personnel who will be utilizing a nail gun in order to prevent nail gun injuries and mishaps. Every worker must be aware of how to use safety features and find triggers before ever utilizing a nail gun on a job site.
In addition, there are six useful actions that can be taken as part of an all-encompassing safety policy for nail guns. They are as follows:
- Only full-sequence trigger nail guns should be offered and used.
- Ensure proper apprenticeship and training.
- Establish work procedures for nail guns.
- Give out PPE or personal protective equipment.
- Encourage people to report injuries and close calls and to talk about them.
