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Printing business: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your printing or media reproduction business (SIC division 18) meets its obligations. Work through the universal workplace and employment items every print works shares, then the solvents, inks and emissions items if you use solvent-based chemicals. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Guide summary

Complete this checklist to make sure your printing business meets health, safety and environmental laws. Write risk assessments, control exposure to inks and solvents, safeguard machinery, and get a solvent-emission permit if you use enough solvent-based chemicals. Hold at least £5 million employers' liability insurance and comply with data protection rules. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you continue.

  • Write risk assessments and set up safe systems of work
  • Control exposure to inks and solvents under COSHH
  • Guard and maintain machinery under PUWER
  • Assess manual handling and fire risks
  • Hold at least £5 million employers' liability insurance
  • Get a solvent-emission permit from your local authority if needed
  • Check your inks and chemicals against UK REACH restrictions
  • Register with the ICO for data protection unless exempt
  • Penalties for breaking health and safety law: unlimited fines and up to 2 years in prison
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Related guides in Health & Safety

Use this checklist to confirm your printing business meets its obligations. Work through each item and answer yes or no. If you answer no, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Workplace health and safety is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain and by HSENI in Northern Ireland. The solvent-emission permit is a local-authority air-pollution-control permit — a Part B permit under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 in England and Wales, with equivalent permitting in Scotland and Northern Ireland. UK REACH is a Great Britain regime. If you supply Northern Ireland, check that position separately under the Windsor Framework. Each section names the body that applies.

Section 1 — Every printing business (factory and people)

These workplace and employment duties apply to every print works, whatever you print. Confirm each one.

  1. 1

    Have you written your risk assessments and put safe systems of work in place?

    Your general duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of your people. Risk-assess your presses, finishing machinery, inks and solvents, noise and handling, and put safe systems of work, training and supervision in place. If not, follow "Set up and run a safe printing business".

  2. 2

    Have you assessed and controlled exposure to your inks and solvents?

    COSHH requires control of solvent-based inks, wash-up solvents, IPA and UV inks, with local exhaust ventilation and health surveillance where required.

  3. 3

    Is your machinery safeguarded, maintained and inspected under PUWER?

    Presses, guillotines and finishing machinery must be guarded and interlocked, maintained and safely isolated for cleaning and make-ready under PUWER.

  4. 4

    Have you assessed manual handling and carried out your fire risk assessment?

    Reduce hazardous handling of paper reels, pallets and ink drums. Assess fire risk from paper, solvents and oily rags under the fire-safety regime for your nation.

  5. 5

    Do you hold employers' liability insurance and meet your equality and data duties?

    Hold at least £5 million of cover once you employ anyone. Do not discriminate under the Equality Act 2010 (or separate NI equality law enforced by the ECNI). Comply with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, registering with the ICO unless exempt.

Section 2 — Solvents, inks and emissions

Complete this section if you use solvent-based inks, coatings or cleaning agents. Confirm each one before you run solvent-based processes.

  1. 1

    Do you hold the solvent-emission permit you need?

    If your use of solvent-based inks, coatings and cleaning agents crosses the threshold, you need an air-emissions permit — a Part B LAPPC permit from your local authority under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, or the equivalent permit for your nation — with a solvent-management plan, VOC emission limits and monitoring. If not, follow "Manage solvents, inks and emissions in printing".

  2. 2

    Have you mapped your ink and chemical substances against UK REACH?

    Identify what you must register, check the Annex 17 restrictions on the substances in your inks, and pass safety information down the supply chain. UK REACH is a GB regime enforced by HSE. Check the NI position separately under EU REACH if you supply there.

If you answered no to anything

Work through the guide linked in that item. The two task guides — the safe-print-works spine and managing solvents, inks and emissions — set out what to do. Start from the router if you are not sure which apply to you.

Official sources

Authoritative health and safety, environmental-permitting and chemicals guidance.