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From January 2011 onwards, HSE will be writing to all known users of HFP alerting them to the risks of these machines and providing a new Information Sheet. This will be closely followed by HSE Inspector visits to companies to find out how companies are responding to the new guidance. Where appropriate Inspectors will consider using enforcement powers where they find particularly poor standards or where sites have not started to take any action to improve standards.
CPI Members Advice
The Information Sheet below sets out what you need to do.
What should companies do now?
This is a complex issue – your first step should be to read the Information Sheet and work out which parts apply to you. Once you’ve done this, you need to plan the action that you are going to take. The first question that you need to ask yourself is whether a hand-fed platen is the most suitable type of machine for the work that you produce. If you routinely undertake high-volume production work, semi-autoplatens or autoplatens maybe a better solution?
Upgrades to guarding systems may be complex and take time to organise. However there are some simple short term steps that you can take to reduce the risks. These include not using the dwell; ensuring electrical isolation points are in appropriate positions; ensuring there are suitable safe systems of work, ensuring operators are properly trained and that there is a system of daily checks in place.
Additional Information on Hand-Fed Platen Presses
The Corrugated Packaging Association (CPA) published its Recommended Safety Specification for Material Handling Systems in June 2000. Since then there have been a number of significant changes in technology.
A collection of guidance material 'Pink Booklets' produced by the British Fibreboard Packaging Industry are available to CPI Members.
In recent years a significant number of new or recently purchased pieces of equipment have been found not to be guarded to the required UK standards or being operated by unsafe methods. The consequences of such purchases have included expensive retrofitting or rectification, delays in commissioning and at worst accidents. This guidance document, produced by members of the Corrugated Health and Safety Committee is applicable to all sectors, and is designed to assist companies in planning and implementing the purchase of new machinery, plant and equipment. To support the general principles contained within the document there are a number of checklists designed to assist in the process.
The HSE ‘Safe Interventions Project’ now in its fourth year is still identifying isolation and lock-off devices and energy isolation and lock-off procedures as two of the most significant areas for improvement, not just within the paper industry but within all industries. This brief guidance note has been prepared by the Corrugated Health and Safety Committee to assist members in conducting appropriate risk assessments and to develop effective controls. Members are encouraged to study the source documents acknowledged to develop their risk assessment processes and procedures.
- Ed Maxim, Nigel Elias
Rewinding paper safely: Safe use of reeling and slitting machines - is the new HSE guidance document aimed at managers and employees working in the paper and board industry. The guidance will help you carry out a risk assessment, compare what you have now with the control measures recommended, and decide what more you need to do. It replaces the 1990 guidance document ‘Reeling and slitting machines in the paper and board making industry'.
Representatives from all the relevant stakeholders within the paper and board industry were involved in the writing of this document and the content has been approved by PABIAC (Paper and board industry advisory committee) as being both workable and achievable.
Additional Information
Throughout the development of the guidance, additional supporting material was produced. Unfortunately due to the document only being available via the website and a HSE restriction on its size we were unable to include this material. Additional information is included below:
1- Example risk assessment – Working inside guards before
2- Example risk assessment – Working inside guards after
3- Risk Assessment matrix
4- Winder task list
5- Working inside enclosure - Checklist
(word)
This compliance checklist was compiled by Stefan Djumic and Richard Brown, as an aide memoire to assist St Regis Paper Company, in auditing their current standard for reeling and slitting machines against the new standard ‘Rewinding paper safely’
It is not a definitive document; the checklist may not cover all the aspects of ‘rewinding paper safely’ or your own particular circumstances. Companies are therefore encouraged to adapt this according to their individual requirements.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Safe Intervention Enforcement Campaign is now in its fourth year. Originally launched in 2004 this nationwide campaign will continue to see HSE inspectors targeting manufacturing companies to ensure that correct procedures are in place for both machinery interventions and entry into confined spaces. No particular industry sectors are being targeted. Choice of sites to be visited will be left to the local discretion of Inspectors and the project will be an integral part of routine inspection.
The campaign aims to:
- raise awareness about the risks and standards required for safe isolation and lock off;
- ensure, through formal enforcement, that robust isolation and lock off procedures are implemented; and
- ensure that employers have, or put in place, sound risk control systems for managing these procedures.
Click here for Safe Interventions Proforma Checklist, which also includes the confined space proforma.
Historical Safe Interventions Enforcement Data
See also Revitalising Network Group for further information.
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