Work Healthy - Asthma, eczema and your career

Printer

Risk level:

Press on at work

Your work is on display everywhere: newspapers, books, posters, brochures… As a printer you look after different printing presses, set things up and adjust them so that the end-product looks good. Technology has advanced quickly in the printing sector and modern printing presses are often controlled by computers, though you will still need to be able to maintain them, and change the paper and ink.

What are the risks?

The preservatives and inks used in some printing processes irritate the skin and airways, and can trigger an allergic response, where the skin itches and it gets harder to breathe. Paper dust can dry out and irritate the airways, as can the solvents used to clean the presses. Printing ink can also cause problems sometimes if you're unlucky.

Prevention and avoidance

Gloves offer good protection for the skin during some jobs, such as cleaning and adjusting the printing presses. It can also be a good idea to use a dust mask as protection against paper dust and solvents. But even though several jobs can irritate the skin and airways, there are good ways of protecting yourself in your work as a printer.

Want to know more?

Du som har frågor och vill veta mer om riskerna för allergi, astma och eksem inom jobbet som tryckare och grafiker bör kontakta skolhälsovården eller yrkesvägledaren på din skola.

If you have any questions or want to know more about allergy, asthma and eczema when working as a printer, get in touch with your school nurse or careers adviser.

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