|  | Public Health Safety | Work Safety

Air Nail Gun Safety

Air nail guns, which shoot out nails at high speed and velocity, can transform a tedious, difficult job into a quick and nearly effortless task. But they can be hazardous, and even deadly. A killer in Australia used a nail gun to murder Chinese immigrant Chen Liu, 27, riddling Lui's head and neck with 34 nails, according to a report from Reuters. Two children found Lui’s body in a marshland south of Sydney in 2009.

  1. Types

    • Two types of air nail guns are on the market: sequential and contact. Sequential air nail guns are safer than the contact type, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Sequential air nail guns force the user to perform at least two maneuvers, hence the “sequential” term, before the gun shoots the nail. Sequential air nail guns will not shoot a nail unless you first press another component on the gun. Contact air nail guns shoot the nail upon contact with the material and have the additional hazard of shooting a series of nails rather than just one.

    Hazards

    • People using air nail guns face a number of potential hazards, especially to their hands, fingers and eyes. The nails can splinter, puncture or shoot through the material into which they are being nailed. This results in flying debris or a nail hitting someone or something behind the material for which the nail was intended. Another hazard is the nails blasting into electrical wiring in walls or other objects.

    General Precautions

    • In addition to reading and following the air nail gun instructions, OSHA recommends several other nail gun precautions. Safety goggles with shields on the side are a must, as is making sure nothing is in the line of fire, especially your hands and fingers. Never point the nail gun at anyone, even if you don’t intend to fire it. Always unplug it after use and to reload or do any maintenance. Never try to make adaptations to the tool, especially when it comes to tinkering with the safety features.

    Usage Tips

    • Once you start nailing away, a few usage tips from Oregon’s OSHA help increase safety even further. If you are nailing a vertical wall piece, start nailing at the top of the piece and work your way towards the bottom. If you are nailing a roof, start at the eaves and work your way towards the roof’s ridge so you have less of a chance of falling off the roof. If you are nailing horizontally, move forward rather than backward. Keep an eye on the hose, which is heavy and can drag the tool off scaffolding or other high areas. Secure it properly when in high places.

    Injury Statistics

    • Thousands of people suffer from nail gun injuries every year, both during work and personal use, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. From 2001 to 2005, the annual work-related injuries averaged 22,200 and personal use injuries averaged 14,800. Using statistics from 2005, CDC found the vast majority of those injured were men, 98 percent of workers and 96 percent of personal nail gun users. Injured workers’ median age was 27 and personal nail gun users’ median age was 35.

Work Safety - Related Articles