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Free toolbox talk: nail gun safety
A one-page nail gun safety talk for framing, sheathing, trim and roofing crews. Sequential vs contact (bump) triggers, where your free hand goes, disconnecting air before clearing jams, eye protection, what to do after any puncture, three questions for the crew and a sign-in block. Read it here or print this page.
Nail Gun Safety
Why it matters. Nail guns are a leading cause of injury among residential carpenters. Contact (bump) triggers make unintended firing much more likely.
Key points
- Use full sequential triggers. OSHA and NIOSH call them the safest trigger type.
- At minimum, use full sequential triggers for placement work where you hold lumber by hand: walls, blocking, studs, trusses.
- Keep your finger off the trigger when not driving a nail. Do not carry the gun with the trigger squeezed.
- Keep your free hand well away from the nailing point. Watch for knots and metal that cause ricochets.
- Disconnect air before clearing jams, adjusting, or handing the tool to someone.
- Wear eye protection, and get medical care for any nail injury, even if it looks minor.
Ask the crew
- What trigger types are on our nail guns, and how can you tell?
- Where is your other hand when you toe-nail?
- What do we do after a nail puncture, even a small one?
Reference: OSHA/NIOSH, Nail Gun Safety: A Guide for Construction Contractors (OSHA 3459)
Sign-in
Date ______ · Job site ______ · Talk leader ______
| # | Printed name | Signature | Company / trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
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The printable PDF has 12 sign-in lines.
How to run it
- Hold it at the work area with the crew’s own nailers in hand, before the first nail of the day.
- Have each person check the trigger on their gun and say out loud which type it is. Swap or set aside contact-trigger guns for placement work like walls, blocking and trusses.
- Demonstrate disconnecting air before clearing a jam or handing the tool off, and point out where the free hand should be when toe-nailing.
- Ask the three questions, then have everyone sign and file the page with your safety records.
A training aid that supplements your safety program. Not a substitute for required training, a written safety program, a site-specific hazard assessment, or a competent or qualified person where OSHA requires one. OSHA references are federal (29 CFR 1926 and related parts), checked October 2026; state-plan states may have stricter rules. Not legal advice.
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