A Malaysian construction worker survived after a nail from a faulty nail gun lodged in his brain. This incident was reported by Daily Mail.
The 30-year-old man was injured on a worksite due to a safety violation. He was not wearing protective eyewear while operating the nail gun. When the tool jammed, he peeked directly into the barrel to test it and inadvertently fired the nail into his left eye.
The eye began to bleed and swell, and sight was lost. A tetanus shot was given on the spot, along with antibiotic eye drops and anti-seizure medication. Although the nail missed the eyeball itself, it punched through the eye socket and breached the frontal lobe of the brain, causing bleeding that spread to surrounding brain tissue.
Remarkably, the nail did not strike major arteries or nerves, which helped prevent long term nerve damage. The patient was rushed into surgery, where surgeons removed the nail, and he spent five days in intensive care. In the days after surgery, his health improved, but a week later he could not fully close his eye and his left eye vision remained impaired.
Transocular intracranial injuries carry a high risk of death, with about one in three cases fatal even when treatment is prompt. Delays in care raise the mortality rate above half. The incident underscores the critical importance of proper protective equipment and strict adherence to workplace safety protocols to prevent such life changing injuries.
Experts emphasize that fatigue and complacency can contribute to safety lapses on construction sites. Ongoing training, proper use of eye protection, and immediate response to tool malfunctions are essential to reduce the likelihood of similar accidents in the future. This event serves as a stark reminder that even routine tasks can carry serious consequences when safety measures are ignored.