On Fri, 7 May 2004 12:15:02 +0100, "Tim Downie"
wrote:

Grunff wrote:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3685791.stm

I kind of surprised that no one has speculated that this would seem to be an
*incredibly* unlikely accident. I mean, shoot yourself in the *back* of the
head repeatedly??

Having said that, I've never used a nail gun but it looks a lot more like
attempted murder than an accident to me.

Tim

No it could happen.

With roofing or framing nailers there are two modes of operation.

There is a safety device which is a small guard around the nailer head
usually with a rubber cushion to prevent marring on smaller nailers or
with a claw on larger nailers to prevent the nailer bouncing around.

This safety device is in effect a spring loaded plunger.

As delivered, the normal way to use the nailer is that it has to be
pushed down against the spring onto the work and the trigger squeezed
to fire. Pushing the trigger fires the gun. If you squeeze the
trigger and the safety is not pushed down then firing doesn't happen.
This mode is meant for firing one nail at a time.

However, for the construction industry in the U.S. especially, this is
too slow, so an alternative mode, which can be enabled on most framing
and roofing nailers is that the functions of trigger and safety
mechanism are reversed. Basically the trigger is squeezed and held
in, and the gun is fired by tapping it onto the work and hence
depressing the safety catch causing firing. In this mode, nails can
be fired much more quickly by dotting along the workpiece.

It is acheived by fitting an optional part, which has to be ordered
from the manufacturer and comes with a warning sheet about the risks
of using it.

I have seen this method used by numerous contractors doing framing,
siding and roofing work in the U.S.

I have also seen them doing one further step (through laziness) which
is to tape around the trigger. Now they don't even need to squeeze
the trigger, only dot the gun onto the work.

If you consider that framing and roofing nailers have a hook to go
over the tool belt to help when climbing ladders, then you have an
accident waiting to happen. More than likely, this individual fell
off a ladder or something., the nailer came off the belt, onto the
back of his head and bounced, firing several nails.
Framing nailers can easily fire several nails a second.

I have a Senco framing nailer which I have set up to only fire in the
first mode, which is always carefully maintained, used with utmost
care and with the recommended protective gear. Used with respect,
these are very useful tools, but not forgiving of the careless.




..andy

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