Bindery Safety/Ergonomics — Finishing Without Incident

Fluke accidents can't be anticipated, but instances where machinery used on a daily basis results in a loss of limb or life because of improper handling can and should be avoidable. Jones also notes that there are generally more injuries that occur in the bindery than in the pressroom.

"The one thing I see is a general lack of respect for the potential hazards of operating the equipment," he states. "Especially from the machine guarding perspective—altering or removing the machine guard—or not using lockout/tagout or other safety procedures when performing maintenance or other routine tasks. I've seen people lift a guard because they're relying on the interlock switch to protect them from injuries.