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. 2016 Feb;59(2):164-74.
doi: 10.1002/ajim.22560. Epub 2016 Jan 4.

Serious injury and fatality investigations involving pneumatic nail guns, 1985-2012

Brian D Lowe  1 , James T Albers  1 , Stephen D Hudock  1 , Edward F Krieg  1
Affiliations

Serious injury and fatality investigations involving pneumatic nail guns, 1985-2012

Brian D Lowe et al. Am J Ind Med. 2016 Feb.

Abstract

Background: This article examines serious and fatal pneumatic nail gun (PNG) injury investigations for workplace, tool design, and human factors relevant to causation and resulting OS&H authorities' responses in terms of citations and penalties.

Methods: The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) database of Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries (F&CIS) were reviewed (1985-2012) to identify n = 258 PNG accidents.

Results: 79.8% of investigations, and 100% of fatalities, occurred in the construction industry. Between 53-71% of injuries appear to have been preventable had a safer sequential trigger tool been used. Citations and monetary penalties were related to injury severity, body part injured, disabling of safety devices, and insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE).

Conclusions: Differences may exist between construction and other industries in investigators interpretations of PNG injury causation and resulting citations/penalties. Violations of PPE standards were penalized most severely, yet the preventive effect of PPE would likely have been less than that of a safer sequential trigger.

Keywords: accident investigation; pneumatic nail gun; struck by; traumatic injury; trigger safety.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation cases (N=258) involving pneumatic nail gun injuries, shown by year, 1985-2012, and by Construction (ν) and Non-Construction sectors (ν). (Solid line shows new privately owned housing units under construction, with axis on right. Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage of injuries by affected body part grouped by injury severity. The full height of the bar represents 100%, but counts differ by degree of injury (severity). In six cases no body region was coded.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Median monetary penalty by classification of standards for Construction Sector inspections. There were 268 final penalties assessed. One willful violation of PNG standards was issued (not shown). (Penalties adjusted to 2013 dollars).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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