Whenever visiting our shop please observe the following guidelines:
- Be aware that some of our equipment presents a very real danger of injury or death.
- Do not handle any equipment without training, or when tired, distracted, or intoxicated.
- Stay clear of any machinery in motion.
- Avoid sudden motion or loud noises that could surprise or distract machine operators.
- No food or open drink containers in the work area.
- Remove any perishable waste when leaving the shop.
- Absolutely no smoking or vaping anywhere in the building.
Please continue reading for more details.
Safety
The machinery, equipment, and chemicals we use at Midwest Ephemera present some very real dangers. Most of our equipment was manufactured long before OSHA existed. We take safety seriously and we take reasonable precautions to reduce risks. A big part of that is educating our guests. Please read this document carefully, and share any concerns before entering the shop
Kids
No one under the age of 18 is allowed in the shop without a conversation with the child and their parent/guardian. We love kids, but it’s important to discuss everyone’s interests, abilities, and comfort levels before introducing them to the shop and equipment. We’re working on curricula for kids’ classes, workshops, and events that will greatly reduce all risks.
Three Greatest Threats
Almost all accidents are a result of fatigue, carelessness or ignorance. Focus on your work, and mind your surroundings. If you’re tired, angry, distracted, inebriated, or otherwise impaired, do not use the shop. If you don’t know how something works, ask first. If something seems wrong, switch off the power (if it’s safe), step away, and seek help.
Our Safety Equipment
We have all the following equipment available, as needed:
- A fire extinguisher (on pillar in center of shop)
- Nitrile gloves: for handling solvents, ink, and any messy items.
- Work gloves: for handling heavy/abrasive items
- Gauntlets: for working with the Ludlow type caster
- Dust masks: use when sanding, filing, or cutting wood or metal (especially type or spacing), or cleaning dusty items.
(dust masks do not block solvent fumes) - A rag can for solvent- and/or ink-soiled rags
- We do not have an eyewash station or running water in the shop, in an emergency, grab bottled water from the fridge.
Equipment–Specific Safety Information
PLATEN PRESSES (Chandler and Price “NC” and Kluge “M”)
- Familiarize yourself with the location and operation of the power switch, brake, and throw-off lever. In a panic, reach for the throw-off lever and brake, not the paper.
- The press can easily crush your fingers or hand. Keep hands away from all moving parts. NEVER reach into the moving press to grab a mis-fed sheet. We have more paper, you only have two hands.
- Check the press for open bales, gripper position, foreign objects, etc. before operating. Manually run through one cycle of the press before starting the motor to be sure there are no obstructions..
- Be sure you’re positioned properly to see the press operation and feed paper comfortably. We can change the level of the platform if needed.
- We can adjust the speed a bit, but if the lowest speed is still too fast for you, there’s no shame in asking us to feed for you.
- Do not attempt to clean, oil, or reach into a moving press.
PROOFING PRESS (Vandercook 3)
- This press is manually operated and a good deal safer than a platen press, but there are still various pinch points, so it’s still important to be aware, and tie up loose items. Keep fingers clear of the cylinder,
- Always ensure all material is type high and the bed is clear of foreign objects before operating the press. Never leave rulers, extra furniture, etc on the press bed. Keep all your tools and materials on the side table.
TYPECASTER (Ludlow M)
- The Ludlow casts molten type metal at 560°F, so aside from all the mechanical warnings that apply to the presses above, there is also the possibility of dripping/splashing/squirting molten metal. Wear an apron and eye protection at all times.
- Be sure the air vent is on and working.
- Take a step back from the machine while it’s casting.
- Wear gauntlets when feeding metal into the crucible.
- Keep hands away from all moving/hot parts.
- Take care handling newly-cast slugs, they may be hot and may have sharp edges (‘flash.”)
- Be aware of the open flame and crucible level.
- Never leave the machine running unsupervised. If there is any concern, turn off the propane supply and motor immediately.
PAPER CUTTER (Challenge Champion F250)
- Stay the heck away from this monster.
- Do not use the paper cutter as a shelf
FOIL STAMPER (Kensol 110)
- Consider yourself lucky it’s not plugged in.
- Do not use the foil stamper as a shelf
TYPE SAW (Hammond “Ben Franklin” Trim-O-Saw)
- Familiarize yourself with the location and operation of the power switch
- Wear safety goggles and a mask when using the saw
- Use the correct blade for the material you’re cutting (there are different blades for metal and wood).
- Use only for type, furniture, and spacing. It’s not designed to cut 2x4s.
- Use sliding guide to move your work and be sure the locking arm is secure and the blade guard is lowered.
- Keep hands FAR from the blade. Turn the power off and wait for the blade to stop before grabbing off-cuts. Be aware that scrap wood can be thrown in any direction.
- If the blade is sticking or fighting the material, turn off the machine and seek help.
OTHER TOOLS and HAZARDS
- We use various sharp hand tools such as scissors, utility knives, XActo knives, bodkins, wood- and linoleum carving tools, Use the usual care when using (or walking around with) any of these. Always cut away from yourself.
- Lifting and moving type cabinets, chases, and such can result in pinched fingers or pulled muscles, use care with any physical labor.
- Before pulling a type case, pull the case below out about 1/4 of the way to catch it if it falls.
Chemical Hazards
TYPE METAL
Type metal is an alloy of lead, antimony and tin. Lead is, of course, reason for concern but in its solid form (type and spacing), it is safe to handle. Freshly-cast lead type presents virtually no danger.
The concern is that over time, type metal can rust (oxidize) which appears as white powdery crust (“type lice,” or lead salts) on older type. Handling this oxidized lead will not absorb it into your body. But breathing airborne lead salts, or putting your fingers in your mouth after touching it, is a real concern, especially for children. (see “Kids” below).
Thankfully, this risk is reasonably easy to mitigate. We can keep an eye out for oxidized type and safely clean or discard it as needed. We wear masks when we file or saw type metal to avoid breathing in any airborne particles that may contain lead salts. We do not allow food or drinks in the printing area, and we scrub our hands thoroughly when we’re finished working.
ODORLESS MINERAL SPIRITS
We use odorless mineral spirts to clean ink from the type and presses. It’s better than the gasoline and naphthol that was traditionally used, but it’s still not great. It is highly flammable, keep it away from any open flame (ie the Ludlow). Extended inhalation and skin contact is bad for you. Wear gloves when handling rags and cleaning equipment. Open windows and use fans. Keep spirit away from open flames and possible sources of ignition. Put rags in rag can immediately after use. We use a dispenser to limit spills and keep the dispenser covered when not in use, to minimize vapors. Safer (but more expensive and not -as-effective) cleaning solutions are available,
PROPANE
Our Ludlow typecaster is heated with propane, we’re working on a better exhaust system, but in the meantime we leave fans on and the windows open. Keep solvents and flammable items away from the open flame. Keep the propane cylinder disconnected from machine when not in use, and clear of the wall-mounted radiators.
INK
Most of our ink is oil-based, some is rubber-based. It may cause mild skin irritation. It contains no toxins, but please do not eat it. Keep out away from open flame. Ink can go in the trash, unless it’s mixed with solvents.
OTHER CHEMICALS
We occasionally use other chemicals such as ink additives, some require precautions. Please ask before using any chemical you haven’t been briefed about.
Thanks to Letterpress Commons! Much of this information is repurposed from their safety guide.