Safeguarding paper converting and finishing machines in printing
The guidance in the following tables describes commonly accepted and practicable safeguards for the significant hazards on some paper converting and finishing machines used in printing industry, manufactured or refurbished before the publication of European Standard BS EN 1010-4:2000 Safety of machinery – Safety requirements for the design and construction of printing and paper converting machines: Bookbinding, paper converting and finishing machines.
For newer machines (manufactured or refurbished from November 2003) please refer to BS EN 1010-4 Standard. See also general safeguarding guidance on machinery safety in the printing industry.
Envelope-making machines
Hazards
Envelope making machines (blank-fed and web-fed) - In-running roller nips,Gumming wheels,Knives,Reciprocating feed devices,Gear wheels,Collator drum- shear traps
Safeguards
- Interlocking side guards. Local interlocking or fixed guarding can also be used.
- In-running nips on folding rollers where safeguarded by tunnel-type guards may, in exceptional circumstances, have openings of 30 mm where the safety distance to the danger point is 200 mm.
- Two-hand hold-to-run controls for setting - speed limited to 10 m/min and guard zoning provided or exceptionally
- hold-to-run control,
- guard zoning,
- selector switch, and
- safe system of work which includes using the slowest speed possible when using stroboscopes for fault finding.
Reelstands on web-fed.
Safeguards
- See standards for simple single reel unwinding and rewinding devices in Web-fed offset lithographic printing press safeguards
- See rewinding paper safely guidance
Print units
Safeguards
See Flexographic printing press safeguards
Feed plate or pillar on blank fed
Safeguards
Local profiled guards for the draw, hook rollers and any score rollers.
Hinged gumming units
Safeguards
Interlocked to prevent them being left out of position.
Seal flap, window and bottom flap gumming units access to in-running nips or contact with hot glues
Safeguards
Enclosing interlocking guards may not be practicable as access may be needed to the glue bottles. A combination of fixed and interlocking guards can be used.
Glassine tissue knife and tissue applicator in-running nips or belt or pulley intakes
Safeguards
Guard see risk assessment guidelines for in-running nips.
Delivery guarding and Shear trap between the delivery table and drying drum
Safeguards
- Fixed tunnel guarding or by adjustable plates
- Provide fixed or interlocking guards or a hinged table flap of at least 25 mm.
Profile cutting system and separating knife on web-fed machines
Safeguards
Provide fixed or interlocking guards. Guarding should take account of the rundown times of the knives and the frequency of access which may necessitate the use of interlocking guards with guard locking.
Inserting machines
Hazards
In-running nips or pinch points at feeders, transport device, drive mechanism
Safeguards
- Fixed or interlocking guards
- Tunnel-type guards with 550mm safety distance from nearest danger zone on automatic feeders
- Start up warning devices on machines over 7m
- Machine start up with guards open for make ready acceptable if machine zoned, selector switch provided and hold-to run speed is slowest possible
- Safe systems of work for operator and training
- Emergency stop buttons 5m apart maximum
Shear traps between inserting disc carriages and control panels on automatic disc insertion equipment
Safeguards
- Locate control stations away from path of automatically moving discs of insertion material
- Separate personnel and moving discs
- Provide and maintain trip wire or pressure sensitive edge on disc carriages
- Integrity of the interface between the guarding devices and the programmable control systems for the disc carriages should be assessed
- Disc carriages should stop safely, without trapping operators or ejecting their load.
Counter stackers
Hazards
In-running nips at feed and delivery belts
Crushing at waste separator
Shear from turntable movement
Safeguards
- Fixed or interlocking guards at feed or delivery belts
- Safeguard waste separator by limiting closing force to 200 Newtons (N)
- Fixed or interlocked guards which prevent access to turntable and enable safe removal of jams
- Guard openings and safety distances meet the requirements of BS EN ISO 13857 Safety of machinery – Safety distances to prevent hazardous zones being reached by upper and lower limbs
- Opened interlocking guards depressurises the pneumatic system to prevent inadvertent movement of counter-stacker
- Emergency stop which causes depressurisation automatically
Coaters - machines that apply a liquid substance (eg glue, varnish, ink)
Hazards
In-running nips between guide rollers and guide rollers/fixed machine parts
Safeguards
Ensure minimum separation of 120 mm, or provide fixed/interlocked guards or nip bars
In-running nips between coating roller and cooling roller/coating roller
Safeguards
Fixed or interlocking guard
In-running nips between coated, tear-resistant web and guide rollers
Safeguards
Provide fixed or interlocking guards where there is a wrapping angle of 45° or more
In-running nips between coating roller and cooling roller/coating roller
Safeguards
Fixed or interlocking guard
In-running nips at the dosing gap
Safeguards
Fixed or interlocking guard or nip bars
In-running nips at the at the Teflon belt
Safeguards
Fixed or interlocking guard
Traps at traversing coating rollers/cooling rollers
Safeguards
Maximum hold-to-run speed of 5 m/min or interlocking guards
Burns from contact with Hot melt material
Safeguards
Fixed guards
Reel unwinding and rewinding units
Safeguards
Unexpected start-up
Safeguards
Provide start-up warning device where overall vision of the coater is restricted
Laminators - machines that apply a solid substrate e.g foil onto paper
Hazards
Foil laminators - In-running nips at feed and delivery belts
Safeguards
Provide infilling between the belt and roller.
Foil laminators - In running nips between guide rollers and guide rollers/fixed machine parts
Safeguards
Ensure a minimum separation of 120 mm between guiderollers/ fixed parts or provide fixed/interlocking guards or nip bars.
Foil laminators - In-running nips between the laminated, tear-resistant web and guide rollers
Safeguards
Provide fixed or interlocking guards where there is a wrapping angle of 45° or more
Foil laminators - In-running nips at the laminating roller
Safeguards
Provide fixed or interlocking guards. If web thickness is 18 mm or more, opening should not exceed 30 mm and the safety distance should be at least 200 mm.
Foil laminators - Traps by movement of traversing laminator roller during make-ready and cleaning
Safeguards
Maximum hold-to-run speed of 5 m/min or provide interlocking guards
Foil laminators - Burns from Contact with hot Lamination rollers in hot-foiling
Safeguards
Fixed guards or interlocking guards
Foil laminators - Cuts from cutting devices
Safeguards
Fixed guards or interlocking guards
Foil laminators - Unexpected start up
Safeguards
Emergency stop buttons on control panels
Glue application - In-running nips at feed and delivery belts
Safeguards
Provide fixed or interlocking guards
Glue application - between guide rollers and guide rollers/fixed machine parts
Safeguards
Ensure a minimum separation of 120 mm between guiderollers/ fixed parts or provide fixed/interlocked guards or nip bars Glue application - In-running nips at feed and delivery belts
Glue application - between the laminated, tear-resistant web and guide rollers
Safeguards
Provide fixed or interlocking guards where there is a wrapping angle of 45° or more
Glue application - sheet fed rolls
Safeguards
Rollers have displacement of at least 25mm or roller contact is by own weight
Glue application - glue rollers and dosing gap
Safeguards
Interlocking guards
Glue application - at laminating rollers
Safeguards
Provide fixed or interlocking guards. If web thickness is 18 mm or more, opening should not exceed 30 mm and the safety distance should be at least 200 mm.
Glue application - between pressing and guide rollers and pressing belt
Safeguards
Fixed guards, or by ensuring rollers are held in position by their own weight and have a displacement of at least 120 mm
Glue application - between the upper and lower pressing belts at the infeed point
Safeguards
Fixed or interlocking guards with a safety distance of at least 850 mm from an opening aperture of at least 120 mm to the point where there is at least 10 mm between the belts, or pressing rollers capable of displacement to a create a gap of 120 mm and with a maximum pressing force of 200 N at the 850 mm point
Glue application - Rotary Knives
Safeguards
Provide fully enclosed fixed guards
Glue application - Trapping by opening and closing movement of the laminating rollers
Safeguards
Where the travel path is more than 6 mm provide either a hold-to-run control not exceeding 5 m/min or interlocking guards
Glue application - Crushing between the package stop and transport belt
Safeguards
Interlocked or fixed guards if the maximum closing force exceeds 150 N
Glue application - Shearing point between the turning belt and transport belts
Safeguards
Fixed guards