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.                        

• Envelope-making machines
• Inserting machines
• Counter-stackers
• Coaters
• Laminators

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

See standards for simple single reel unwinding and rewinding devices in Web-fed offset lithographic printing press 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