Massachusetts Workers Compensation Lawyers Blog
There’s a new guidance available to employees and employers to help to reduce the risks of nail gun-related work accidents in Massachusetts and elsewhere. The information is targeting construction workers and provides vital information regarding nail guns.
The guidelines were provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Our Boston workers compensation attorneys understand that nearly 40,000 workers visit an emergency room every year because of nail gun-related injuries. This new release aims to help educate construction employees and other workers who use the devices to help improve safety on the work site. Many injury reports involving a nail gun are in fact preventable with the proper skills, training and safety precautions.
Workers in the construction industry, more specifically workers in the residential construction field, use nail guns on a daily basis. These tools help to move a job along swiftly with their easy-to-use design. Still, there have been an alarming number of both external and internal bodily injuries resulting from their use.
Nail guns can cause injuries by:
- Bouncing off a hard surface and at you or another employee.
- Missing the surface intended to be nailed and becoming airborne.
- Falsely disabling the gun’s lock and safety features.
- Other improper uses.
- Lack of training.
These injuries can be prevented if employers and employees take preventative measures. Some of these measures can include using a full sequential trigger nail gun, establishing nail gun work rules and procedures, properly training employees with medical aid response and also by providing employees with their own personal protective equipment.
A recent study concluded that 2 out of every 5 residential construction employees suffer from a nail gun injury at least once in a four-year period. The study also concluded that 1 out of every 5 employees are injured twice and at least 1 in every 10 employees are injured two of three more times in the same time four-year period. Unfortunately, officials believe that many of these injuries are never reported and that the actual number of yearly injuries and deaths that are caused by nail guns is much higher.
Employers should go over the following with employees about nail gun safety:
-How to properly load a nail gun.
-How to operate the connected air compressor.
-How to safely fire a nail gun.
-How to secure lumber during placement work.
-What to do when nailing near ricochet-prone surfaces.
-How to hand awkward work positions, like working on a ladder or toe-nailing.
Employers are required to provide workers with the proper safety knowledge, skills, protections and education for work-related duties. When a worker is injured on the job, it is critical to contact an experienced attorney to help make sure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
If you or someone you love has been injured at work in Boston or in any of the surrounding areas, contact a workers’ compensation attorney at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers to help you sort out the complexities of the case. For a free appointment to discuss your claim, call (617) 777-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Manufacturer Fined $175,500 for Failing to Prevent Work Accident in Massachusetts, Massachusetts Workers Compensation Lawyers Blog, October 2, 2011
Final Count for Workplace Fatalities Could Rise for 2010, Injured Workers in Boston Should Contact Experienced Law Firm, Massachusetts Workers Compensation Lawyers Blog, September 12, 2011