Windmill safety docs …

Don’t suppose anyone has any safety documentation for a Heidelberg windmill press they would be willing to share with me? I’m trying to avoid reinventing the wheel.

I’m thinking a risk assessment, daily and/or weekly checklist, basic operators manual or anything useful to help people focus on safety whilst operating the machine. I’ve downloaded the user manual but I have the H&S consultant coming in next month and I know the first thing she will ask is ‘have you done a risk assessment for that machine’.

Thank you in advance

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The biggest mistake I made is I put the power braker in the back of the machine. I wish I had put it near the operator end for quick shut downs. Make sure your shut off cover cable is working. When changing Typan sheets shut off the power. I dropped a rod into the machine and it shot past my head. Shut off clutch and impression rather than trying to grab miss feeds or problems of any other nature. Tape off a kill zone around the press for non entry when press is running. When running I sit on a stool, that way I cant lean into the press. My head is so thick it would ruin a gripper bar it it hit me in the head. The best advice be afraid of the press and respect how much it can hurt you. At the same time love it for what you can do with it. It wont hurt is you are smart.

Amen.

I echo Western 411 although killing the power still lets the press run , the guard is by way the quickest way both from the front and back. I was taught to run the windmill at print college here in the UK but never worked one for production until I left full time letterpress printing having run large format presses and retrained for litho printing. One day a friend asked if I could help out 2 guys who were not printers as one had just broken his arm having had a run in with their windmill.
Having retired, I now have a windmill for a hobby, one day my workshop which was in an unused part of printing company was inspected by a Health and Safety inspector, had I not been trained and qualified the windmill would have been closed down. As it was I had to lock the isolating power switch so it could not be used by any one else.
For my self my own rule is to never to try to reach out for misfeeds, you can buy more stock, type or plates but not hands. I have been thinking of enlarging the face guard by backing the metal one with a perspex one which might be a couple of inches larger, and like Western 411 shut off the power when changing the packing, also pause the press if you manually add ink to the rollers if not using the duct (fountain) otherwise enjoy your windmill.

Thank you all. Really appreciate the wise words which I fully concur with. I’ll try and pull some paperwork together before our H&S visit.

Cheers

Please note I was not trying to scare you. Modern presses have so many safety switches and computer controls that I think we get complacent about safety. For presses of this age there some smart safety features. The guidelines you set should apply to all operators and be designed around both prodction based demands and any actions that can cause injury. This document can evolve over time. Any operator who thinks he knows more than you and does not wish to follow the rules should be warned in writing and fired if they wont follow the rules. In our shop there are only “within reason” only 2 ways to do things - MY WAY and the wrong way. You can only tell someone not to touch a hot stove but when they do and get burned then they file a workers comp claim against you.