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611 Nail Gun Safety
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Real-World Accidents

Not all nail gun injuries are immediately visible. Failure to seek medical care can result in complications and more serious injuries. Below are a few real-world stories that illustrate what can happen while working with nail guns. Telling stories like this is an excellent way to instruct employees on the dangers of nail gun use.

A construction worker accidentally drove a 16 penny framing nail into his thigh. It didn't bleed much and he didn't seek medical care. He removed the nail himself. Three days later he felt a snap in his leg and severe pain. In the emergency room, doctors removed a sheared off nail and found his thigh bone had fractured.

After his crews experienced many double fires and a related serious nail gun injury, a New Jersey contractor switched to using only sequential triggers. He believes he has eliminated the risk of double fire injuries and he estimates that the change has had only a slight impact on productivity—a few extra hours per house.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

2-7. What is an excellent way to instruct employees on the dangers of nail gun use?