NIOSH Nails Nail Gun Safety in New Booklets
"Straight Talk About Nail Gun Safety," available in English and Spanish versions, explains the basics about nail gun triggers' operation and the typical hazards workers who use the devices will encounter.
NIOSH has released "Straight Talk About Nail Gun Safety" [DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013–149, available in Spanish as "Plática Directa Sobre Seguridad Con Pistolas De Clavos."] Written and illustrated like a comic book, the publication explains how different types of nail gun triggers operate and discusses the typical hazards encountered by workers who use the devices or are working near someone who uses one.
The publication credits Nick Thorkelson, listed as the developer and illustrator, as well as unidentified residential builders and subcontractors in Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, Missouri, and Texas who granted access to residential building sites, and also contractors, safety specialists and workers who participated in NIOSH-sponsored focus groups in Arizona, Illinois, Texas, West Virginia, and Washington.
According to NIOSH, the booklet will give potential and new nail gun users basic information to help them recognize potentially unsafe conditions and nail gun features that increase the risk of injury. It can be used in conjunction with OSHA-required safety training or to reinforce previous nail gun safety training, but distributing the publication alone does not satisfy OSHA safety training requirements, which it describes in detail.
The English and Spanish versions are available for printing or download at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-149 and http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh/docs/2013-149_sp/. A limited number of copies will be printed for distribution to home building industry stakeholders and will be available around July 15, and these can be ordered by calling 800-CDC-INFO or visiting http://wwwn.cdc.gov/pubs/niosh.aspx.