Construction workers here in Pennsylvania and elsewhere use several pieces of equipment in their work that could cause them harm. One that may end up overlooked is the nail gun. If this piece of equipment is not used properly, injuries could be serious or even deadly.
Employers may take for granted that these machines speed up the progress of a job in their apparent simplicity. However, nail guns are not always as easy to use as it may seem. If employers fail to train their workers, provide them with working and well-maintained equipment and give them the necessary personal protective equipment, the outlook for walking away from the job unharmed decreases rapidly.
These machines can easily fail to work as intended, for example they may:
- Double-fire
- Ricochet off a hard surface
- Go through a piece of lumber
- Discharge accidentally
There are so many ways that a nail gun can cause an injury. Some may consider these injuries minor, but considering the force a nail gun uses in order to be effective, the dangers of this equipment becomes quite evident. The injuries can be catastrophic depending on where on the body they occur, among other things.
Pennsylvania construction workers who suffer injuries from a nail gun could end up needing significant medical attention and time off work to recover. During that time, they will more than likely rely on workers’ compensation to help cover their medical costs and provide them at least a portion of their income in order to continue supporting them and their families.
The problem is that receiving those benefits is not always as easy as it should be. For this reason, it would be wise to sit down with an attorney for an explanation of your rights and an understanding of the available options for receiving all the benefits available considering the circumstances.
