Mark_from_Iowa
Member
I ran across an interesting story today and figured maybe somebody here at THR would be interested.
Here's an article from the latest issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a CDC publication that details trends in the medical field.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5614a2.htm
This particular article deals with the increasing incidence of nail gun related injuries among both construction workers and consumers.
So what makes this gun-related? In the editorial note section of the article, they discuss the issue of nail guns in a way that bears a striking resemblence to a Brady Campaign op-ed on firearms. Just substitute "assault weapon" or "hi-cap handgun" for "nail gun". Examples (emphasis mine):
I should make it clear that I'm not ripping on the CDC here. I just think that this type of mentality (saving people from themselves) tends to cross the line when it is mixed with politics.
I doubt that any serious group is going to lobby for bans on nail guns, or call for nail gun registration. However, if the subject is changed to a hot-button issue (ie firearms), the same type public health reasoning can be turned into calls for those very things.
Anyway, just my observation. Take it or leave it.
PS: If you're looking for customized injury/death reports involving firearms, the CDC's WISQARS site is a great tool: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars
Here's an article from the latest issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a CDC publication that details trends in the medical field.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5614a2.htm
This particular article deals with the increasing incidence of nail gun related injuries among both construction workers and consumers.
Speed, ease of use, and ready availability have made pneumatic nail guns a common tool used in work settings such as residential construction and wood-product fabrication. In addition, the tools are now readily available to consumers, extending to the public what had been primarily a potential work-related hazard.
So what makes this gun-related? In the editorial note section of the article, they discuss the issue of nail guns in a way that bears a striking resemblence to a Brady Campaign op-ed on firearms. Just substitute "assault weapon" or "hi-cap handgun" for "nail gun". Examples (emphasis mine):
Read: LEO vs civilian weaponry...Nail guns in the consumer and commercial markets differ, but similar models are available in both markets.
Read:cop-killer hi-cap magazines, "automatic assault weapons"...The most common type of firing mechanism is the dual-action contact-trip trigger, which requires that the manual trigger and nose contact element both be depressed for a nail to be discharged. When users depress the manual trigger, they can rapidly fire a nail (i.e., "bounce nail") each time the nail-gun nose contacts the work material, speeding up production. Trigger locks and other user modifications that keep the trigger constantly depressed or that disable the nose contact switch have been used to make rapid nailing easier, but this counteracts the safety features of the dual-action contact-trip mechanism.
Read:"gun show loophole", mandatory trigger locks, magazine restrictions...The International Staple, Nail, and Tool Association adopted a voluntary ANSI standard recommending that manufacturers install sequential-trip triggers on certain types of nail guns before distribution, beginning in May 2003 (5); however, under the standard, contact-trip triggers can continue to be sold with nail guns or as an option.
Read:"stricter licensing", AWB, etc...Therefore, distribution of new nail guns with sequential-trip triggers and availability in home hardware centers of kits to convert contact-trip triggers to sequential-trip triggers might help reduce the use of the more hazardous tools. Moreover, additional training material on nail-gun safety to supplement product information included with the tools should be provided at the point of sale or rental to further influence safe nail-gun use among consumers and workers.
I should make it clear that I'm not ripping on the CDC here. I just think that this type of mentality (saving people from themselves) tends to cross the line when it is mixed with politics.
I doubt that any serious group is going to lobby for bans on nail guns, or call for nail gun registration. However, if the subject is changed to a hot-button issue (ie firearms), the same type public health reasoning can be turned into calls for those very things.
Anyway, just my observation. Take it or leave it.
PS: If you're looking for customized injury/death reports involving firearms, the CDC's WISQARS site is a great tool: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars