Emergency Rooms See an Increase in Nail-Gun Injuries

Consumers and workers should be aware that nail gun injuries are common and can be severe. Current users and new tool purchasers should make sure that their nail gun has the safer sequential-trip trigger mechanism. Since 1991, consumer nail-gun injuries treated in US emergency departments (ED) have increased more than 200 percent, as these tools have become increasingly accessible to consumers. While training in safe work practices is important, consumers, employers, and workers who use nail-guns on the job should be aware that engineering interventions are available that can reduce the risk of such injuries, principally a safety feature called a sequential-trip trigger.