Nailer Safety

In the United States, over 37,000 people every year, that's more than 100 per day! -  go to emergency rooms with injuries from nail guns or nailers, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. 40% of those injuries occur to diy enthusiasts and home renovators.

Nail gun injuries tripled from 1991 to 2005, not surprising because of their increased use and availability to almost any household.

A recent survey shows that foot and hand injuries are among the most common.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that treating nail gun wounds costs at least $338 million per year nationally in emergency medical care, rehabilitation, and workers' compensation

All kinds of nail guns can be dangerous, so safety precautions similar to those for a firearm are usually recommended for their use.

For example, the Safe Nailer, a concept product designed for a Boston University School of Management business plan project, has a capacitative sensor that lets the nail gun know when it is pointing at human skin. When the Safe Nailer detects human skin in its trajectory, the nail gun locks its firing mechanism, avoiding potentially fatal injuries.

For safety, nail guns are designed to be used with the muzzle touching the target. Unless specifically modified for the purpose, they are not effective projectile weapons.

The most common firing mechanism is the dual-action contact-trip trigger, which requires that the manual trigger and nose contact element both be depressed for a nail to be discharged.

The sequential-trip trigger nail gun, which is safer, requires the nose contact to be depressed before the manual trigger, rather than simultaneously with the trigger.

Approximately 65% to 69% of injuries from contact-trip tools likely could be prevented through use of a sequential-trip trigger instead.

When using a nail gun it is important to note that the safety features above are there for a reason. Actions such as leaving the trigger depressed while just using the tip as the triggering device can lead to serious injury.