Press Scare Has Happy Ending
SALT LAKE CITY—Thanks to the quick maneuvering of co-workers, a man who was caught in the rollers of a printing press and asphyxiated briefly was able to return to work just two days later.
The 58-year-old man, an employee of Sterling Press, was originally reported to be in critical condition after getting his clothes caught, but General Manager Tracey Parks said that the 36-year veteran of the company was conscious and alert when rescue workers arrived because his fellow workers moved fast to free him from the machine's grip. Parks said that the employee's collar, sleeve or both were caught on the rollers when the press was not running. This pushed the worker's head against his chest, cutting off the flow of oxygen.
"We have stringent rules and safety procedures, and I think they prevented a bad incident from becoming worse," she says.
Parks adds that, contrary to published reports, the worker was conscious when rescue crews arrived. The employee spent the night in a local hospital as a precautionary measure before returning to his post two days later.
Parks was heartened by the outpouring of support that Sterling Press received from printers in many parts of the country. "We've had a lot of calls. We appreciate all of the concern and care we've received from fellow printers."