Common Risks in the Printing Industry

The print industry is responsible for providing newspapers, books, magazines and other forms of printed literature. Even with the spread of the Internet, the print industry provides employment to millions of people. The industry does pose occupational risks to workers. Industrial printing requires large machines with many moving parts that can injure people or catch loose clothing. Back injuries from lifting boxes of printed material are common, and exposure to printing ink and chemicals can cause dermatitis and other ill health effects.

Manual Handling

• Moving heavy stacks of paper can injure workers' backs.

  Large-scale industrial printers produce large orders of printed paper, which must be packaged and shipped out to customers. Lifting heavy boxes of printed material can lead to back injuries and accidents. Proper lifting techniques and use of lifting aids can reduce the risk of accidents.

Slips and Trips

• Printing employees face a risk of slips and trips, especially in production areas. Pallets, uneven floors and loose straps account for many tripping accidents. Slip risks include water, oil and leaflets left on the floor. The risks can be significantly reduced with proper housekeeping to keep work areas clear and clean and taking safety precautions in inclement weather.

Machinery

• Printing machinery is a source of potentially life-threatening accidents. Large, tall power machines with moving parts can result in injury if a worker is careless. The most common source of machine injuries is the printing press, with conveyors and binding, cutting and folding machines also causing injury. Risk of injury includes being drawn between in-running nips of rollers, contact with moving machine parts and entanglement in rotating parts. Injuries range from the minor, such as lacerations, cuts and bruises, to being crushed or having part of the body amputated. Fingers and hands at the most commonly injured body parts. Injuries usually come from careless handling of machines, such as unsafely attempting to fix blockages, cleaning, or attempting maintenance while machines are running.

Health Risks

• Printers use a number of chemicals in the printing process. Inks, chemical washes and chemicals used to maintain machinery can contain potentially dangerous components that may harm the worker's health. One of the most common conditions printing employees face is dermatitis. Print employees working in production are three times as likely to develop dermatitis compared to industrial workers as a whole. Workers' hands and fingers are the most common location for dermatitis. Employees can take many steps to lessen their exposure to ink, such as the use of gloves, washing hands regularly and applying lotions and creams that prevent dermatitis. Good printing practices and procedures can limit exposure to chemicals.