Health and Safety in the Printing Industry

Health and Safety in the Printing Industry

Accidents happen while driving, at leisure, and at work. People are usually quick to put accidents down to fate, and give little thought to how they could be avoided in the first place. Manufacturers can only turn out machines that conform to “state-of-the-art technology”. It is the responsibility of the companies to ensure that machines are used only for the purpose for which they were designed; workers must maintain and observe all safety measures. Product safety and industrial safety are the two different things. To make the product safe for operation, work and health observation has to be made on work and health protection requirement. Safety is an executive function and as such must be observed by those in positions of responsibility.

International and European Directives (Laws) and Standards
Worldwide, has become a whole host of arrangements and quality signs for the product safety regulation, which has certain applicable measures.
In the American sphere these are, among others:
Þ OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration),
Þ ANSI (American National Standards Institute),
Þ ETL (Electrical Testing Laboratories),
Þ UL (Underwriters Laboratories Inc.), and
Þ CSA (Canadian Standards Association), and in Eastern European these are, among others:
Þ CPT (Marks of Conformity of the Russian Federation) and
Þ SKTC (Slovak Testing Center).

Certain principles, which are also dealing with worldwide safety issues, here follow a description of the set of European rules;

European (EU) Directives
European industrial safety measures are in essence form of directives; these directives are born of the following basic principles:
Þ The supervisory bodies are bound to accept that in the case of such products, manufactured in accordance with harmonized standards; an agreement is in place regarding the basic safety requirements set out in the directives.
Þ These technical specifications are called standards. Application of these standards is voluntary.
Þ The directives are restricted to defining fundamental safety requirements.

If these directives are in cooperative into the national laws and in case which such standard as the Machinery directives, the EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) Directive, and the Low-Voltage Directive.

Position Switches with Personal Protection
Function (Safety Limit Switch)
These are used for the interlock of protective device, they fulfill the special requirement for instance machines without operationally regular intervention into hazardous areas, it is enough for the interlock to be carried out merely by the operation of a position switch for each separating protective device .

Requirements for safety limit switches:
Þ They must be secured by their manner of activation or their integration into the control system in such a way that they cannot be manipulated easily. Position switches must be switched as “openers”.
Þ Position switches are to be fastened in such a way as to protect them from foreseeable damage by external factors.
Þ It must be possible to check for their correct functioning. They must be easily accessible.
Þ They may not be used as a mechanical stop.

Control System The safety related parts of the control system must be designed to be one error safe or monitoring.
Self-monitoring means that the fault is detected and indicated to the operator. Machineries are rated to the machines used for printing and paper processing. Where the danger zone don’t need to be accessed regularly for purpose of operation. Regular operational access which means that with each work cycle e.g. with manually fed guillotine cutters and die cutter.

Work Platforms, Access, Passages, and Raised Workplaces
Access and passage are contained in EN 12437 parts 1 to 4 which includes a precise definition of safe workplaces.
“Safety of machinery – fixed access to machines and industrial installations.”
Þ Railings with handrail, knee and foot rail must have the following dimensions: Railing height 1100 mm, foot rail at least 100 mm, distance from knee rail to foot rail and handrail < 500 mm.
Þ Usable width of machine walkways at least 600mm.
Þ At a height of more than 300 mm suitable means of ascent must be made available.
Þ Railings for walkways with a height of 500 mm and more.
Þ Floor coverings must be anti-skid.
Þ Raised permanent workplaces must have a surface area of at least 1.5 m2 per person and a minimum width of 1m.

Requirements for Separating Protective Devices
Machine operators against hazards that cannot be avoided in the machines design. Hence, Protective devices must protect the operators.

Conditions that are applied
Þ Reliable function.
Þ Interlock mechanism
Þ Safety clearances
Þ Stability
Þ Attachment
Þ Locking
Þ Accessibility of operating elements
Þ Handles
Þ Handling
Þ Visibility
Þ Predictable misuse

Hazard Analysis, Risk Assessment

Hazard analysis It must carry out and a written document. It is the responsibility of the designer and supervisory bodies only carry out inspections.

Risk assessment The designer takes a series of logical steps, which enable him to identify hazards and to determine the level of risk posed systematically. A protective measure is to be selected, which affords the operator the greatest possible level of work and health protection. The factors may typically form the basis of the risk assessment are as follows:
Þ Probability of an incident that causes damage.
Þ Frequency and duration of exposure to hazard.
Þ Severity (degree) of possible damage.
Þ Technical and human scope for minimizing or preventing damage.

Intended Use
Print media needs printing press and all the printing devices for production, which are in general, and not for all-purpose machines for carrying out all desired processes.

Design considerations not only have to take on board the need for subsequently maximizing production in economic terms, but also need to ensure that the user suffers no accident or ill-effect from using machines as intended. There are not so many manufacturers developing and producing printing presses and systems in worldwide, which can fulfill all the requirements for safety and meet the expectations of operator and owner of a print shop.

The technical instructions set out in the manual deal with intended use and must allow for a reasonable amount of predictable misuse. Misuse as well as disregard of regulations and safety indications endangers life and limb of machine operators as well as risking damage to the machines and their devices.

Manoj Kumar
Lecturer
Department of Printing Technology
Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology
Hisar
e-mail manojkochar@gmail.com
Mob no. +91-9255945677

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