Nail Gun Tips

Nail guns drive nails and staples into building materials and improper use can lead to injuries or even fatalities.  There are hazards to workers and bystanders especially eye, hand and finger injuries. Nails can: splinter or blow out fragments from the material, puncture the back of material, fire completely through the material and strike workers behind nailing surface, or pose contact hazards such as nails striking electrical wires. Some tools will have safety devices such as sequential firing where a safety device must be depressed before pulling the trigger. This two-step process makes accidental firing less likely and can be used for most tasks.  Contact tools will fire anytime both nose and trigger are both depressed.  If the trigger is depressed, the tool will fire anytime the nose is depressed and can cause double firing.  Some newer models require a certain amount of force to activate the nose. 

Safe work practices and use of personal protective equipment will help reduce nail gun accidents.  Always follow manufacturer’s tool labels and operating instructions.  Wear eye protection with side shields. Never defeat or modify safety devices.  Keep fingers away from the trigger when not driving a nail. Sequential tools have reduced risk of accidental and double firing. Avoid line of fire hazards in front of or behind material; position yourself (especially your free hand) out of the line of fire. Never point nail guns at anyone.  Watch co-workers behind the nailing surface.  Disconnect the gun to perform maintenance, moving between work areas, or to clear jams.  Train on the safe operating procedure, proper body placement and correct personal protective equipment use.  NOTE:  The tool must meet OSHA guarding standards. By following these tips we can reduce the over 37,000 emergency room visits due to nail gun accidents each year.  You can download a safety document at: 

www.osha.gov/publications/nailgunfinal_508_02_optimized.pdf.

 

Key Changes in Fall Protection for Residential Construction - Effective September 16, 2011

The Summary of differences between interim guidelines and Subppart M standards		OSHA not cite employers if following interim guidelines from 6-16-11 to 9-15-11
Dec 1995-June 15, 2011                      as of June 16, 2011
Use of Conventional Methods (guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems) for fall exposures over 6 feet	Required, unless infeasible or creates greater hazard		Required, unless infeasible or creates greater hazard
Use of Alternative Methods (slide guards, safety monitoring systems, warning line, etc.)	Allowed, for prequalified tasks identified by OSHA as meeting a greater hazard and other tasks where infeasibility or greater hazard could be demonstrated		Allowed, but employer has the burden to demonstrate conventional methods are infeasible or creates greater hazard before using
Site Specific Fall Protection Plan (only if using Alternative Methods)	Required, but does not have to be written		Required, must be written
Training	Employees must be trained to understand and follow the Fall Protection Plan		Employees must be trained to understand and follow the Fall Protection Plan
Roofing-Specific Requirements
Low Slope Roofs (4:12 pitch or less)	Use of warning lines and safety monitoring systems allowed		Use of warning lines and safety monitoring systems allowed
Slope Roofs (over 4:12 up to and including 8:12)	Use of slide guard allowed		Guardrails or personal fall arrest system required
Steep Slope Roofs (over 8:12)	Guardrails or personal fall arrest system required		Guardrails or personal fall arrest system required

Download current and past monthly safety talk topics to use in your shop or on the jobsite: