Construction Solutions - Fastening Tools that Reduce Stooping



Solution: Fastening Tools that Reduce Stooping
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	Description:	When working at foor or ground level, construction workers often use screw guns and other fastening tools that require stooping, bending, kneeling, or squatting for long periods of time. Working repeatedly in these positions can result in fatigue, pain, and injury. A handle extension and auto-feed fasteners allows many such tasks to be completed from a standing position. The photo on the left shows the problem, while the photo on the right illustrates the solution. More Detail A stand-up screw gun can be used to secure subfooring, false floors, and decking; to construct concrete forms; and to do other wood-to-wood jobs. You can also use it for drywall and some metal-to-metal work. Screws for these guns come on easy-loading, collated strips that are self-feeding. They load without requiring you to bend down, and the newer models have been improved so they do not jam like older models. Some models have an extension that can be removed, allowing the screw gun to be used by itself for walls. Other models, such as the Senco DuraSpin™, are all one unit. A similar powder-actuated fastening tool with a stand-up extended handle can be used to fasten metal track to concrete decks for interior steel framing, to install plywood onto concrete as a substrate for wood floors, to attach lumber to concrete and masonry, and to make steel-to-steel connections. These provide a fast, efficient fastening method that can be used independent of weather conditions. They use a .27-caliber explosive charge to drive their fasteners. The fasteners are made from hardened steel and have a knurled shaft to anchor them securely in the base material. Pre-drilling holes is not necessary. The driving depth can be adjusted for varying jobsite conditions. Less Detail
	Risks Addressed:	Your lower back and knees are the areas at greatest risk of a muscle or joint injury when you stoop, bend, kneel, or squat for prolonged periods. Your risk is increased if you have to lift, push, or pull while stooping.
	How Risks are Reduced:	Use a stand-up tool with an extension that allows you to stand upright while working. Standing while you work keeps your spine and knees in a neutral position, minimizing strain and muscle fatigue. Many stand-up tools have adjustable lengths to ft workers of different heights. Stand-up screw guns that automatically feed the screws are available. Powder-actuated fastening tools (PATs) can be used with a stand-up handle provided by the manufacturer. Quality of Evidence Safety and health experts believe there is a risk reduction. Biomechanical research shows that high compression forces occur in the spine while stooping, and that sustained or repeated flexion of the spine may decrease the stability of the lower back and increase the risk of fatigue, leaving the back more vulnerable to injury. While there is considerable research shows that working in stooped, kneeling and squatting postures causes low back disorders, the research mostly focuses on those postures in combination with other risk factors such as bending or twisting or heavy loads. The literature combining stooped, squatting or kneeling postures with load handling shows rapid and severe spinal damage. There is much less in the literature regarding the health effects of these postures in an unloaded situation - that is, stooping without lifting. However, safety and health experts believe that it is important to avoid prolonged and repeat forward bending of the back (stooping) even in the absence of the other risk factors for low back disorders.
	Effects on Productivity:	Studies have shown that autofeed stand-up screw guns are about twice as fast at placing screws as traditional screw guns. Quality of Evidence Manufacturers or vendors have reported an increase in productivity. Part of the claimed productivity gain may be due to the auto-feed of fasteners, and part may be due to the erect posture of the workers.
	Return on Investment:	No specific calculation ROI information exists for this particular solution, however, there are some general approaches that might be useful for a “Return On Investment” analysis. For a general discussion of these approaches, visit our “Return on Investment Calculation” page.
	Availability:	Where to Get It Stand-Up Screw Guns Quik Drive™ Auto-Feed Screw Gun, Simpson Manufacturing, Pleasanton, CA, www.quikdrive.com DuraSpin™ Screw System with Extension, Senco, Cincinnati, OH, www.duraspin.com Powder-Actuated Tools with Stand-Up Handles Hilti USA, Tulsa, OK, www.us.hilti.com ITW Ramset® Fastening Systems and ITW Red Head® Concrete Anchoring Systems, Wood Dale, IL, www.ramset-redhead.com Equipment like that described here may be available from local retailers or rental companies. Approximate Cost Stand-up screw guns are $200-400. PAT fastening tools with stand-up handles are $500-700. The PAT handles can also be purchased separately.
	Additional Considerations:	Extended handled tools are very effective for work at floor level, but may introduce awkward postures when used for waist level tasks where a standard tool without an extended handle would be more appropriate.
	Sources:	Albers, James T., and Estill, Cheryl F.. Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for Construction Workers. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2007-122. March 2007. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh. To view the Table of Contents for the Simple Solutions Document, please visit: http://www.cpwr.com/simple.html. Please send requests for copies of this document to cdcinfo@cdc.gov, referencing document number 2007-122.