WorkSafe

“On every construction jobsite
I’ve been on, someone has
either been injured from using
a nail gun, or knows someone
else who’s been hurt.”
—Vince Strain, WorkSafeBC
occupational safety officer
Q. What are the most common
injuries associated with
these tools?
A. Hand and finger wounds make up more than half
of the reported injuries, but your whole body is
vulnerable. The damage can be serious: bone
fractures, paralysis, blindness, even brain damage.
On every construction jobsite I’ve been on,
someone has either been injured from using a nail
gun, or knows someone else who’s been hurt. I’d
estimate 20-to-30 percent of people in trades have
been injured at some point while using one.
Q. How can we make it safer for
our workers to use pneumatic
nail guns?
A. Training is the best thing you can do. A supervisor
or experienced nail gun user should teach your
workers the safest ways of using, carrying, storing,
cleaning, reloading, and transporting nail guns.
Manufacturers have good safety information in
their user manuals; have your workers read them.
Develop written procedures around the safe
handling of your guns. Effective supervision also
makes a difference; you should regularly check to
see that your workers and supervisors are
following procedures.
Always use the nail gun in sequential trip mode, if
possible. If not, use guns that can be easily
switched between trigger settings. When you don’t
require rapid fire, have your workers switch it to
sequential fire.
Q. Where can we get more nail gun
safety information?
A. Refer to the manufacturer’s instruction manual,
and use these free resources:
• A Toolbox Meeting Guide for safe use of
pneumatic nailing equipment —
www2.worksafebc.com/i/construction/Toolbox/
pdfs/TG07-12_nailing_equipment.pdf
• A safety guide for construction contractors —
www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-202/pdfs/2011-
202.pdf
Looking for answers to your specific health and safety
questions? Send them to Dana.TyeRally@worksafebc.com
and we’ll consider including them in our next Ask an
Officer feature. W
WorkSafeBC prevention officers cannot and do not provide advice on specific cases or issues referenced in this
article. WorkSafeBC and WorkSafe Magazine disclaim responsibility for any reliance on this information, which
is provided for readers’ general education only. For more specific information on prevention matters, contact the
WorkSafeBC prevention line at 604.276.3100 or toll-free at 1.888.621.7233.
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September / October 2015 | WorkSafe Magazine