It is often extremely difficult to impress upon the men the importance of guarding against injuries from projecting nails; and yet it is probable that in building construction more accidents result from this particular hazard than from any other single cause. It is true that most of the injuries caused by nails are of minor importance, yet quite a sensible proportion of them result seriously, and the loss of a hand or a foot, from infection received in this way, is by no means uncommon.

Usual Method. (Dangerous).

Correct Method. (Safe).

Figs. 92 and 93. Hammering Down a Projecting Nail.

An injury from a nail should receive immediate medical treatment, because septic material is likely to be carried into the wound by the nail. Nails covered with dirt or rust are specially dangerous in this respect. but clean nails may also give rise to serious trouble by introducing septic matter from the skin or clothing of the injured man. When a nail-wound is properly treated it will usually heal in a short time, but if it is neglected, blood poisoning or lockjaw may follow.

Fig. 94. The Nail Hazard in Construction Work.

All projecting nails in boards, planks, and timbers should be carefully removed, hammered in, or bent over in a safe way; and if time will not permit of doing this immediately, the material should be temporarily stowed in piles with the points of the nails projecting downward, and attention should be given to the nails at the earliest practicable moment. Scaffold materials, concrete forms that have been removed (see also paragraph 62), and boards that have been used for protecting the corners of building stones are often thrown down carelessly, and these usually have numerous nails projecting from them that should be withdrawn or made safe.

65. Hand Tools

It is extremely important to keep all hand tools in the best possible condition. Edged tools should be kept sharp, and hammers, sledges, cold-chisels, drift-pins, drills, and other similar tools should be dressed frequently, to remove burrs that might otherwise fly off when the tools are struck, and cause injuries.

Axes, picks, hoes, sledges, and other such implements should be immediately repaired or discarded if their handles become split or broken. Provide protective handles for cold-chisels and drills, to avoid injury in case the strikers miss the heads of the tools when cutting or chipping stone, concrete, or metal.

Tools should not be left lying about on scaffolds or stepladders, nor on beams, nor in elevated places of any kind from which they might fall and cause injuries.

Men working in gangs should be careful to keep a suitable distance apart, to avoid striking one another with their tools and implements.

Fig. 95. A Bar-guard oN a Material Hoist.

Fig. 96. Bar-guards Prevent Accidents of this Kind.

(See also Fig.95).

When a number of tools or other small objects are to be hoisted to the working level they should not be lifted by the use of slings or ropes alone, but should be placed in suitable boxes, barrels, or buckets, in such a way that they cannot fall out.

Mortar hods and brick hods should be kept in good condition, and any that are defective should be repaired or discarded. Brick hods should be loaded with care, and every precaution taken to prevent any of the bricks from falling out when the helpers are going up ladders, or passing along scaffolds or runways.

66. Wheelbarrows

See that all wheelbarrows are maintained in good condition. If the workmen have to push them through narrow doorways or passageways, protective handles should be provided, to guard the workmen's hands against being crushed or bruised. In placing a barrow on a material hoist, always make sure that no part of it projects beyond the edge of the hoist.

When wheelbarrows are transported on hoists, the floors of the hoists should be provided with blocks to receive their legs, as noted in paragraph 61, page 139; and care should be taken to see that the legs of the barrows are in proper position with respect to the blocks, before the hoists are moved.

Do not allow the men to leave wheelbarrows so that their handles project out into passageways. Many serious accidents have been caused by persons colliding with these handles, in unexpected places.

When barrows are empty, the men sometimes tip them to a nearly vertical position, and run with them. This practice is dangerous, especially when going down inclined runways, because the men are likely to stumble and be injured. (See also paragraph 59).