Caught in a printing press

We have printing presses where I work and this is the worst nightmare of anyone who works near one.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Printing
• Press
• Accident

[Dickeymoe206]

Most presses have what are deceptively called " Finger guards". They are usually between the plate and blanket cylinders. They do not,,repeat "do not" guard your fingers. They are there to make sure that all you lose "is" a finger,and not an arm. I am sure that this third world press that fella got caught in did not have those guards. Even so,he should not have touched it while it was running,PERIOD ! Presses deal out a very harsh reality to those who would deify or ignore the rules of safety.

[Dickeymoe206]

Keep it extended and your body as far away a possible.I have had more then a few times felt it grab and try to pull me,stronger and faster then my arm could pull away.But,I kept it extended and my body weight served to save me. Because my arm was fully extended and my body away,it could not pull my arm into the rollers. But it did scare me a bit.lol If you leave slack in your arms ( keeping them bent at the elbows and body close to press ) for a press to grab,eventually it will.

[Dickeymoe206]

The one rule that I used for myself,was one I made up. though some one out there may have done it before. I call it " the arms length" rule. Yeah,sounds silly I know. But it has served me well. Basically what it means is,that when ever possible while working on a press,you keep it at arms length.If a web pops out at full speed,you have to stop the guiding rollers to re-web the press. If you get caught with you arm bent while doing so,it will pull that slack out and you in quick. Keep it extended

[Dickeymoe206]

@Dickeymoe206 I have seen guys take a razor blade to scrape the socks ( part of the water system ) on an Urbanite press to get rid of scumming because ink was building up in it,while at full speed.Or take plates off,or put plates on while on a walk. One fella came close to getting snagged because the folder man went to take the press up because he thought every one was plated up.No safe on. I was never that stupid. In less the a fraction of a second,your new nick name can be Stubby.

[Dickeymoe206]

There is absolutely never any reason to touch a press when it is running. None. And I know of no press foreman or boss who would would ever say other wise.These machines have "safe" buttons on em. When you are doing some thing on a press,you hit the safe button. The safe button pops in and another button pops out. When you are ready to move the press,you hit the button that popped out to take off the "safe". You work a press with others.You may not hear or know when they hit the go button.

[pjgumby]

I've met other Printers who have had finger's missing, and they all said the same thing, that it was their own fault, had been working too much, or just wasn't paying attention. I have been printing for over 30 years, had some close calls, but knock on wood, still got all my fingers!!

[impalabrent]

printing sure is cheaper overseas? No need for saftey gaurds

[holttrain]

It's not blue, it's cyan!  haha

[inkman46]

@6942ish I ran presses for 27 years and you couldn't have said that any better than you did. Every printer knows a guy like this, no respect for what that machine will do to you.  He's lucky he still has his hand.

[6942ish]

40" heidelberg speedmaster is the model,IF you inch it backwards his fingertips will pop off like grapes..he was trying to pick a hickey and clearly didn't pass the"IS YOUR I,Q. above room temperature test.I've repaired and installed Heii's for 25 years...There are only three causes for just about ANY accident! 1) Ididn't see 2)Ididn't know3)I didn't think....most explainations start with one of those three