Printing and the reproduction of recorded media covers a wide range of businesses — commercial litho and digital printers, screen and large-format printers, packaging and label printers, and businesses that reproduce recorded media from a master. They share a starting point: printing is a machinery- and chemical-intensive process, so the workplace health and safety duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 apply to all of you. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland.
On top of that, if you use solvent-based inks, coatings and cleaning agents, you take on extra environmental and chemicals duties — an air-emissions permit and your UK REACH duties on the substances in your inks. Use the routes below to find the guides written for your kind of business.
Find your route
Start with the safe-print-works spine, which every printer needs. Then, if you use solvent-based inks and chemicals, follow the solvents-and-inks guide. Finish with the checklist.
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1
Run a safe print works and employ people
Whatever you print, start with the universal spine. Follow "Set up and run a safe printing business" for your health and safety, COSHH controls on inks and solvents, work equipment, manual handling, fire safety, insurance, equality and data protection duties.
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2
Manage your solvents, inks and emissions
If you use solvent-based inks, coatings and cleaning agents above the threshold, you need an air-emissions permit and you must meet your UK REACH duties on the substances in your inks. Follow "Manage solvents, inks and emissions in printing".
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3
Confirm you have covered everything
Finish with the printing business compliance checklist to confirm your obligations are met.
Open the guide you need
- Set up and run a safe printing business — the universal spine for every print works.
- Manage solvents, inks and emissions in printing — the air-emissions permit and your UK REACH duties.
- Printing business compliance checklist — confirm you have covered everything.
Official sources
Authoritative starting points for printing businesses.