Chemicals in printing

Chemicals used in Printing (inks, lacquers, adhesives, cleaning solvents and many others) are substances that can cause ill health if there is exposure. For example, you can breathe in vapours and mists: contact with chemicals can cause skin problems and chemicals may be absorbed through the skin and cause damage in other parts of the body. This section identifies the potential health effects of chemicals used in printing, what you need to do and where you can find out more.

What do I need to know?

Potential health effects of chemicals used in printing include:

Detailed information on specific chemicals and their health effects can be found in the summary table Printing Process Chemicals and health effects.

Printing process specific guidance can be found in COSHH essentials for Printers.

What do I need to do?

The law, called Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), requires you to adequately control exposure to materials in the workplace that cause ill health by:

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Updated: 2022-10-07