UV PRINTING HAZARD ASSESSMENTS

HEALTH & SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT

The information supplied here provides a generic approach for printers in the European Community to assess their own risks when using UV curing technology. Since for many printers, conventional printing is commonly carried out along side or interchanged with UV printing, the matrix includes conventional printing for comparison.  The generic risk assessment is based on work carried out on behalf of a Consortium of six European printing companies in four countries, and acknowledges, with gratitude, the funding provided by the European Community for the 2 year CRAFT project.

On the left hand side of the matrix are listed the printing processes. Across the top of the matrix are listed the hazards, which includes inkfly categorized into two states, particulate and vapour.

Each risk has been defined as High (H), Medium (M) or Low (L). 

(H) – High risk requiring immediate attention

(M) – Medium risk requiring further investigation by measurements or expert advice

(L) – Low risk requiring probably no further attention

 UV PRINTING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

An assessment of UV printing’s environmental impact was carried out at the same time as the health and safety risk assessment described above. The same generic approach has been applied to the environmental impact assessment as the risk assessment.

Conventional lithographic printing is considered in most countries to be a minor source of pollution to the environment even though the solvent usage is not insignificant and full recycling of paper is still to be achieved. The increasing use of UV printing technology requires the consideration of additional potential pollutants, namely ozone and an assessment of acrylate monomer emissions via the local exhaust ventilation extraction systems.

Each pollutant’s environmental impact has been defined as High (H), Medium (M) or Low (L).

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