Continued progress in the prevention of nail gun injuries among apprentice carpenters: What will it take to see wider spread injury reductions?

Abstract

Problem Nail guns are a common source of acute, and potentially serious, injury in residential construction. Method Data on nail gun injuries, hours worked and hours of tool use were collected in 2008 from union apprentice carpenters (n = 464) through classroom surveys; this completed four years of serial cross-sectional data collection from apprentices. A predictive model of injury risk was constructed using Poisson regression. Results Injury rates declined 55% from baseline measures in 2005 with early training and increased use of tools with sequential actuation. Injury rates declined among users of tools with both actuation systems, but the rates of injury were consistently twice as high among those using tools with contact trip triggers. Discussion and impact Nail gun injuries can be reduced markedly through early training and use of tools with sequential actuation. These successful efforts need to be diffused broadly, including to the non-union sector.