Nail guns: injury statistics
Pneumatic, cordless and powder-actuated nailers. In 2025 they were involved in an estimated 10,860 emergency room visits in the US.
ER visits per year
2016–2025 · 193 sampled cases in 2025Air compressor CFM calculator
Injury type
Share of ER visits, 2021–2025
Body part injured
Share of ER visits, 2021–2025
Age of injured people
94% male · 2021–2025
Real cases
From NEISS case narratives, 2024–2025. Abbreviations expanded.
Recalls of nail guns
TTI Consumer Power Tools Recalls RIDGID Framing Nailers Due to Laceration Hazard2025-07-31 · LacerationNail gunsHart Consumer Products Recalls Nailers Due to Injury Hazard; Sold Exclusively at Walmart2021-11-10Nail gunsHitachi Koki Recalls Pneumatic Nailers Due to Injury Hazards2014-06-12 · FireNail gunsRidgid Pneumatic Nailers Recalled by One World Technologies Due to Laceration or Injury Hazard; Sold Exclusively at the Home Depot2012-12-06 · LacerationNail gunsCoil Nailers Recalled by Hitachi Koki Due to Serious Injury Hazard2010-03-11Nail gunsQuestions
How many people are injured by nail guns each year?
About 10,860 people were treated in US emergency rooms for injuries involving nail guns in 2025, according to CPSC's NEISS estimates. The average over 2021–2025 was 9,076 a year.
What are the most common injuries from nail guns?
Puncture is the most common diagnosis (41% of cases 2021–2025), and the finger is the most often injured body part (43%).
How often do injuries from nail guns need hospital admission?
8.2% of ER visits ended with the patient admitted or transferred to another hospital in 2021–2025.
About these numbers
National estimates from the CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), product code 882. A case is counted if the tool appears in any of its three product fields. Estimates under 1,200 or based on fewer than 20 cases are flagged. Methodology · CSV
