Website
cdc.gov
have published some statistics which a number of news outlets have picked up on.
The
websites we saw all concentrated on the fact that the number of nail gun injuries
by customers has trebled since 1991, to 14,800.
We've
taken a look at the figures and have found something even more frightening.
The
largest number of injuries are suffered by workers... 28,600 workers were treated
in hospital in 2005 for nail gun injuries.
The
figures are split up into injuries to body part.
In
the upper extremity column, which includes injuries to the hands, fingers and
arms, but not shoulders, 18,600 workers and 10,000 customers were admitted to
hospital.
In
the lower extremity column (which includes feet and legs) 2,300 customers and
6,900 workers were admitted to hospital in 2005.
However,
in the workers injuries column (they don't publish this figure for customers)
there were 2,800 injuries that are not in any of the previous columns.
So,
that's nail gun injuries to the head, shoulder, stomach... you name it...
2,800
of them in 2005.
Ouch!
