Proof HF is evil!

[Hellrazor]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Take a nation of do-it-yourselfers, add a ready supply of cheap nailguns and what do you get? About 37,000 nailgun injuries a year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Since 1991, nailgun injuries have risen about 200 percent, the CDC said in its weekly report on death and disease.

"This increase likely corresponds to an increase in availability during the 1990s of inexpensive pneumatic nail guns and air compressors (to power the nail guns) in home hardware stores; however, no sales data are available for confirmation," the CDC reported.

But when the CDC looked at who was getting injured, it became clear that the number of work-related nailgun injuries had stayed stable since 1998. It was consumer-related injuries that had soared.

"During the 5-year period 2001-2005, an average of approximately 37,000 patients with injuries related to nail-gun use were treated annually in emergency departments, with 40 percent of injuries occurring among consumers," the report read.

Emergency departments treated three times as many consumers with nail-gun injuries in 2005 as they did in 1991, the report noted.

The CDC said more needs to be done to make consumers aware of the dangers.

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[sparkeyjames]

All this proves is that stupid careless people should not be allowed to own anything that fires more than a low speed stream of water. Oh yeah and they should have the ability to at least read the manual. Remember disconnect your air nailer from the compressor when aiming it at your S.O. and making bang bang thoughts.


sparkeyjames

[BrazosJake]

Ah! Where's Sara Brady when you need her!

We need a 1 week waiting period with police background check on all nailgun purchases. And, of course, stiff mandatory sentences for those convicted of drive-by nailing!

[Stytooner]

Several years ago, I had a nail gun injury with a framing nailer. We had told the Boss it was defective, because it would almost always shoot two nails.
I was framing up eaves on a roof and my left hand was a good two feet away from the gun and the second nail shot right straight down the board into my index finger knuckle on my left hand. Buried a 16D nail half way. It wasn't through the skin on the palm side, but it was bulging. Luckily, it missed the bone. The Doc simply used pliers to pull it out after X rays. We had a new gun on the site the next day. I consider myself to be fairly cautious, but I should not have used a defective gun.
I imagine a certain percent are true accidents and do occur when people are using proper precautions, but something just goes wrong.
I was nailing some Flooring down once and hit a void in the plywood and shot two nails below before I even realized it. I was going so fast it took that long to register. Luckily no one got hurt, but accidents just plain happen no matter what the precautions sometimes.

[MilDoc]

I can see some being true accidents, like blow-out, shooting through a board, accidental fires, etc. But I bet most read just enough of the manual to use the gun or anything else. Me? Obsessive-compulsive, every manual read front to back (or the end of the English section, whichever comes first ).

I guess the CDC idea that more education is needed will mean a thicker manual so folks will read even less.

[Garasaki]

Last I knew, reading the manual is not a known cure for stupidity.

I don't read the manuals to stuff I buy. Usually. Until I get confused and look to the manual for help. And most of the time the manual isn't much help.

Anyway, back to the point.

Wait...did I have a point??

Oh, yeah, it's that morons using nailguns are dangerous. Mostly to themselves. It's natural selection at work in the modern world.

Weekend DIYers see Bob Villa and friends using nailguns, looks easy. Weekend DIYers see professionals on jobsites using nailguns, looks easy. Weekend DIYers use nailguns, it is easy. And not too expensive either. Sure beats a hammer! Easy + not expensive = carelessness, lack of respect for the tool:

"Hey Roger, look how far I can shoot this nailgun!"

-Rant, signed "Garasaki - not qualified to use a nailgun, and knows it"

[Hellrazor]

I've shot through sheathing too. Worst one went through, didn't hear it hit anything and a second or 2 later I heard it land in the gutter on a house 150' away. Framing nailer, a compressor running a min/max of 90/120psi and you don't hear a solid thud... not a good thing. Before anyone asks why I run 120psi... I only use ringshanks for framing and sheathing.

A friend of mine nailed himself to a wall with a framing nailer. 16d through an eyelet on his boot. He needed someone else to pry him off the wall. Nobody could figure out how he did that and he took the 5th...

I've seen finnish nails do a U turn when hitting a knot.

[cabinetman]

I've had a lot of those side blow outs and you learn the hard way to keep your fingers clear of the area. Had employees do stupid things, that were not the fault of the tool. Had one guy staple his thumb to a cabinet with a 1/4" crown 1 1/4" staple. It hardly bled at all, but it took a while to get him loose, then it hurt like heck. Had another guy when working for someone else, while straddling a loose toekick, stapled his you-know-what to the toekick. He said he didn't know what hurt more, the actual accident or the embarrassment in getting it released.

In a friends shop, a guy did a big no-no. Had his brad nailers' safety toe locked in the up position. Wound up shooting himself in the forehead while looking at the pin ejector during a jam. An 18 ga brad seats pretty good in bone.

[gaj1967]

Ah! Where's Sara Brady when you need her!

We need a 1 week waiting period with police background check on all nailgun purchases. And, of course, stiff mandatory sentences for those convicted of drive-by nailing!

Nail guns don't injure people, people injure people.

My dad bought a cheap brad nailer from HF and it didn't have a safety. I don't see how they could sell/make something like that. Especially with people suing people for everything. It's like making a car with no brakes.

A friend of mine nailed himself to a wall with a framing nailer. 16d through an eyelet on his boot. He needed someone else to pry him off the wall. Nobody could figure out how he did that and he took the 5th...

I've seen finnish nails do a U turn when hitting a knot.

I'm confused on how his boot was on the wall. Or is that why he took the 5th?

Sure those are Finnish nails and not FRENCH nails. lol

stapled his you-know-what to the toekick.

OUCH!!! I hear some people pay money to get something like done. But they also use surgical steel.

[crokett]

I don't read the manual either. But then I am also not stupid. If I have to clear a jam the gun always gets disconnected. I also don't disable the safety on my guns. Closest I've ever come to an injury with a nail gun is having a finish nail turn and scratch my hand. Now my left hand stays much further away.

[68KANE]

I would say a good rule of thumb (and hopefully one without a 16D nail sticking through it :P) would be when buying a power tool or pneumatic tool, only buy a reputable brand name and NOT a knockoff. Just my .02 worth, but I'll save $$ elsewhere by clipping coupons and NOT by buying cheap power/pneumatic tools.

[Hellrazor]

I'm confused on how his boot was on the wall. Or is that why he took the 5th?

He was standing against the wall when he did it. Only thing we can figure out is the trigger didn't release and he managed to bump nail himself to the wall.

[Slik Geek]

But I bet most read just enough of the manual to use the gun or anything else. Me? Obsessive-compulsive, every manual read front to back (or the end of the English section, whichever comes first ).

I guess the CDC idea that more education is needed will mean a thicker manual so folks will read even less.

My pet peeve is that our sue-crazy society has made instruction manuals less safe. Today's manuals are chock full of every caution and safety warning imaginable because the manufacturer's lawyer knows that if they don't cover every possible misuse of the tool, they will get sued and well-meaning jurors will grant a settlement.

The result is 50 safety warnings that obscure the 3 or 4 that are really important. And even more annoying, the actual instructions for safe use are buried in the midst of flashy, attention-getting cautions. Good luck finding them quickly. Tool markings no longer guide proper (and safe) use, they only have room for warnings against acts of stupidity.

The priority, unfortunately, is no longer to promote enhanced safety. The priority is now reduced liability.

Doc, you are right on target: the manual will get thicker and even less effective.

End of rant.

[MilDoc]

My pet peeve is that our sue-crazy society has made instruction manuals less safe. Today's manuals are chock full of every caution and safety warning imaginable

Agree completely. One other point - the average reading level in this country is 6th grade and dropping. Makes it hard for some folks to read anything.

Some of the manuals I've read confuse even me, but that may be because the Chinese to English translation is lousy.

[gaj1967]

He was standing against the wall when he did it. Only thing we can figure out is the trigger didn't release and he managed to bump nail himself to the wall.

Sounds like he 'toe nailed' himself to the wall.

Not only do they have bad translations in the manuals but they also have stupid drawings, that are supposed to be somewhat 'international' but they put them in each language, that take up lots of space.