Tetanus is an anaerobic bacteria meaning it can’t survive in oxygenated environments meaning if the wound bled, NO tetanus.
Just because you get cut on metal (rusty or not), it doesn’t automatically mean tetanus bacteria is present. Tetanus is normally found in manure/dirt and not on a clean plumbing fixture.
Even if there was a deep puncture wound that did not bleed, caused by an object that had tetanus bacteria on it, you literally can NOT “vaccinate” against a bacterial infection AFTER the exposure. The vaccine is not an instant tetanus killer; it would take weeks for your body to produce enough antibodies (provided the vaccine is even successful at all).
If there were serious concerns about tetanus exposure (as previously explained) then the ONLY thing that could help (outside of allowing the wound to bleed, if possible, and cleaning the wound with soap, water, or hydrogen peroxide) would be the TiG shot (tetanus immunoglobulin), which is an anti-toxin and not a vaccine.
There is no “tetanus vaccine” available in the United States, only the DTaP which is a 3-in-1 cocktail vaccine consisting of Diphtheria, Tetanus & Pertussis (whooping cough) or Td (tetanus and diphtheria).
To summarize:
A tetanus shot would not help a current case of tetanus as a vaccine takes several weeks to create antibodies. If a current case of tetanus is truly a concern, the TiG shot is what should be given.
According to the VAERS database, reactions to vaccines for tetanus and diphtheria are not rare. As of August 2012, there were over 22,000 adverse reactions reported and 67 deaths.
Lastly, the ÇDC states that efficacy of the tetanus toxoid has never been studied in a vaccine trial.