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Nail Gun Safety Rules
Nail Gun Safety Rules
Pneumatic nailers have replaced the hammer on wood construction especially in the roofing industry with its ability to reduce hours on the job with hammers.
However, nailers can also cause severe injuries.
Here are some nail gun safety rules and tips for you.
- Always use your safety gear: eye protection, work boots, heavy gloves, and ear protection.
- Know your trigger. Always know your tool and what trigger it has as well as what the trigger it is set on since some of them allow choice of triggers on the fly. When you use a bump trigger you would press the nose of the nailer to the spot you want to nail and then pull the trigger or it could be set to pull the trigger then bump the area to be nailed. This is why it is so important to know your triggers as some nailers can be almost continuous nailers.
- Pay attention to your surroundings: this includes making sure there are no tripping hazards, places in which you could fall off, etc.
- Never ever point your nailer at anyone, if you were to trip it could fire a nail.
- It is important to hold the nailer properly when using. Do NOT ever climb a ladder with a loaded nail gun against your body or hooked to the air hose.
- When cleaning a jam or any other maintenance make sure the tool is not connected to the air hose.
- Nail guns should never be used around combustibles so do NOT do it.
- Always check the nailing surface for wires such as electrical wires or pipes that could be carrying gas.
- Pay attention to your movements; always start at the outside edge and work in or from the back and move forward this will lessen your risk of falling.
- When you store your nailer make sure that it is stored properly in the case; this not only protects the nailer but helps reduce the risk of unintentional accidents.
- If you are supervising a crew with nailers make sure each crew member knows how the nailer works, as well as, which trigger it is set on. Be sure they are using their safety equipment as well.
- Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for maintenance and proper use of the tool.
- Never use the wrong nails in your nailer improper size could lead to malfunction and injuries.
- Before you start your day, check your nailer to make sure it is in proper working order. Look for jams, loose trigger, or guards.
- Every so often you should go over the safety rules or do’s and don’ts of the nailer, a refresher never hurts anyone.
- Always use the proper nailer for the job. You would not use a butter knife as a screwdriver, so do not use a brad nailer where you should be using a finish nailer.
A checklist for safety with your nailer
Here is a checklist you can use for yourself or your crew members with nailers to help ensure safety;
| Item of safety | Yes | No |
| Safety gear: eye and ear protection, footwear, gloves | ||
| Tool maintenance: checked for loose parts, proper size of nails, trigger set up, or jams | ||
| Inspection of the work area for hidden lines, pipes, or trip hazards | ||
| Discuss the proper and safe use of nailer | ||
| Reminder discussion of safety rules (bi-weekly or monthly) |
Conclusion
This checklist can be made for weekly or turned into a monthly checklist which could be dated and initialed or just a check mark made each day.
This is a good idea especially if you are running a crew, should one be injured on the job, you will have a record of the safety checks that were done.
Remember safety first always pays off in the end.
About the Author Jason Hall
Hey there, my name is Jason and I am the creator and editor of this site. I have been working in the construction industry for the past 14 years and my mission is to help you start your next renovation!