CDC Publishes Report on Nail Gun Safety

Thousands of workers suffer nail gun-related injuries every year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released new advice for workers who frequently operate nail guns.

Nail gun injuries can result in eye injuries, sprains, dislocations, dental injuries, and facial injuries. There may be musculoskeletal injuries caused due to the improper handling and operation of the tool. Besides, there may hearing hazards involved with frequent operations of noisy nail guns.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 49% of nail gun-related injuries involve fractured bones. Hands and finger injuries account for 66 percent of injuries, and lower extremity injuries account for 22 percent of all nail gun-related injuries.

From puncture wounds, and eye injuries, to embedded nails, fractures from penetration of the body as well as puncture wounds, nail gun-related injuries can have catastrophic consequences. They can lead to long term disability.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asks workers to request safety training if they have never used the tool before, and be familiar with operation of the tool. Keep fingers off the trigger while carrying the nail gun. While using a nail gun, make sure that your colleagues are out of the line of fire, and keep the other hand, which is not using the gun away from the tool.

Wear eye protection gear as well as hearing protection as recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration during operation of a nail gun. Use a tool that is best suited to your ability.

The Texas construction accident lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers  represent workers injured in construction accidents across Texas.