In recent years nail guns have soared in popularity; especially since the construction boom of the nineties. They quickly became the favorite hand tool of do-it-yourself enthusiasts for home improvement projects. This increase in popularity has come with greater frequency of nail gun related injuries. Approximately 42,000 people are injured using nail guns each year.

Nail guns are available at a range of speeds; the most powerful has the capacity to blast 30 nails per minute. Injuries associated with nail guns include puncture wounds, bone injuries, eye injuries, and head and brain injuries.

Types of Nail Gun Injuries

Puncture Wounds

Most nail gun related injuries are puncture wounds. The major risks in regards to puncture wounds are tissue and nerve damage in the pierced area. There is also a risk of infection as the nail may transmit harmful bacteria and microbes into the body.

Bone Injuries

If a nail hits a bone upon penetration the person may suffer bone injuries ranging from moderate to severe in intensity. Bone injuries caused by nails can also lead to severe inflammation of the affected bone. These infections result from bacteria introduced to the bone by the nail. Such bone inflammations and infections are called Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis.

Eye Injuries

One of the most serious injuries related to nail gun use is an eye injury. Even while using great caution a nail can ricochet, piercing sensitive regions of the face, including the eyes. Eye trauma resulting from such accidents can have a severe impact on a person’s eyesight. In most cases surgical intervention is the only option to restore visual ability in such patients.

Brain Injuries

When nails are propelled at great velocity from a nail gun and penetrate the head, the impact and damage caused to the delicate nerve fibers of the brain can result in long term brain injuries. Major surgeries are required to treat such injuries.

Causes of Nail Gun Injuries

Nail guns are not only convenient to use, but are recently available at relatively affordable prices. Therefore, the number of people using nail guns has significantly increased, contributing to a high number of injuries. 40 percent of all accidents affect average consumers; construction workers make up the remainder.

A major cause of nail gun injuries is a design defect in the dual action firing system under which the nail gun operates. Here, both the nose contact and the hand trigger must be depressed simultaneously to allow the discharge and speedy delivery of the nails. Studies have shown that this design element is partly responsible for the great number of nail gun related injuries. Nail guns with sequential trip mechanisms work when the nose contact element is depressed first, followed by the manual trigger. Such guns have been found to have less risk of accidents and injuries. Most nail guns, however, come with the simultaneous trigger mechanism.