Health,Safety &EnvironmentGuide

for Printing & Related IndustriesThis information will be placed on the Printing Industries NZ website www.printnz.co.nzand the NZ Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union website www.nzepmu.org.nz

Chief Executive’sMessage

I congratulate the Printing, Publishing and Packaging Education Trust Board on this Health, Safetyand Environment Guide for the printing and related industries. People who are working in theindustry know more about the health, safety and environmental issues in that industry than anyoneelse, and are in the best position to devise practical advice and solutions. Voluntary industryinitiatives such as this are, therefore, extremely important in protecting the health of workers andreducing the industry’s impact on the environment. Good environmental management is good business. All businesses use resources, and all businesseshave environmental impacts, but improving the management of resources can reduce the costs ofdoing business. Smarter use of resources reduces the cost of inputs, and the costs associated withmanaging harmful outputs. This guide will help the industry to meet its obligations under the law,and to stay ahead of community expectations of safe and environmentally sound business practice. In welcoming the release of this guide, I would like to acknowledge the support of the Governmentand industry agencies involved in its development and commend the Trust Board for its extensiveconsultative process. I wish you all the best in promoting awareness and adoption of theseguidelines throughout your industry.

Denise ChurchChief ExecutiveMinistry for the Environment

General Manager’sMessage

It is with considerable pleasure that I write a foreword to the Health, Safety and Environment Guidefor the Printing and Related Industries. I am delighted that an industry group has developed thisdocument with assistance from OSH and other agencies and organisations.

I wish to commend the Printing, Publishing and Packaging Education Trust Board for their initiativeand for their interest in health, safety and environment in the print industry.

Adopting safe work practices set out in these guidelines will assist employers to meet theirobligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. The Guide will also be ofassistance to employees, in making them aware of the health and safety hazards which they mayencounter at work.

The Occupational Safety and Health Service of the Department of Labour encourages the adoption ofthese guidelines by all those working in the print industry.

R J M HillGeneral ManagerOccupational Safety & Health

Acknowledgements The Printing, Publishing and Packaging Education Trust Board wishes to acknowledge and thank thefollowing organisations for their support and information:

* Auckland Environmental Business Network* Auckland Regional Council* Christchurch City Council * Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority* Environmental Choice New Zealand* Environmental Risk Management Authority* NSW Environmental Protection Agency * NZ Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union Inc.* Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Labour* Printing Industries New Zealand* Waitakere City Council

Managing your environmental effects and protecting the health and safety of you and your staffshould be a top priority for those in the printing & allied industries.

Please Note:This Guide has been compiled to provide simple, up to date information on health safety and environmental issues and actionsfor the industry. It summarises and updates a number of publications currently available. This booklet has been prepared to provide simple information relevant at the time of publishing to the industry. It is not aregulatory document. Published by: Printing, Publishing and Packaging Education Trust BoardDate: July 2001The Printing, Publishing and Packaging Education Trust Board are happy for this information to be reproduced in whole or inpart provided the meaning is unchanged and the source acknowledged.

2 foreword

1 A STEP BY STEP APPROACH 5

1.1 DEVELOP A POLICY 6

1.2 ALLOCATE RESPONSIBILITY TO STAFF 7

1.3 CARRY OUT AN AUDIT 8

ROUTINE SITE AUDIT SHEET 9OPERATE GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 10

1.4 DEVELOP PROCEDURES FOR HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES 11

MAINTAIN HEALTH & SAFETY PROCEDURES 12HAZARD IDENTIFICATION SHEET 13HAVE PROCESSES FOR REPORTING INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS 14RECORD OF ACCIDENT/SERIOUS HARM 15UNDERSTAND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES 16ADVICE ON HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL 17UNDERSTANDING MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS 18HOW DO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES HARM PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT 20PREVENT SPILLS 21BASIC PROCEDURE FOR SPILLS 23BEWARE OF NOISE 24OPERATE GOOD HANDLING PROCEDURES 25PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND APPROPRIATE DRESSING 26MACHINE GUARDS 27EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR STAFF 28

1.5 INCLUDE SITE DESIGN & STRUCTURE PLANS 29

UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STORMWATER & WASTEWATER 30

1.6 ASSESS AND PRIORITISE OPTIONS 32

REDUCE SOLID WASTE 33SAVE ENERGY 35BEWARE OF ELECTRICITY 36REDUCE AIR EMISSIONS 37CONSERVE WATER 38SUBSTITUTE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS WITH NON-HAZARDOUS ONES 39

1.7 STAFF TRAINING IN HEALTH, SAFETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT 40

1.8 ALLOCATE BUDGETS 41

1.9 INFORM CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS 41

1.10 COMMIT TO CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT 41

2 CASE STUDIES 42

THE PRESS 42NORCROSS MANAGEMENT & MARKETING 44

3 ARE YOU IN COMPLIANCE? 46

HEALTH & SAFETY IN EMPLOYMENT (HSE) ACT 1992 47DANGEROUS GOODS ACT (1974) & TOXIC SUBSTANCES ACT (1979) 48THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AND NEW ORGANISMS ACT 1996 (HSNO ACT) 49THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACT (1991) 51TRADE WASTE BYLAW 52

able of ContentsT

contents 3

4 CONTACTS 53

SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANISATIONS 53ENERGY, WATER, WASTE & RECYCLING OPERATORS 53GOVERNMENT BODIES 54NATIONAL INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS 54REFERENCE MATERIALS 55

able of Contents ContinuedT

4 contents

1A STEP BY STEP

APPROACH

Ask yourself…

Are you putting people, the environment or your business at risk?Good management of health, safety and environmental effects means increased productivity andprofits, reduced risk and reduced threat of legal action.

• What steps have you taken to improve the safety and health for employees?• Do you have systems in place to reduce risk of incidents or accidents?• Is your site tidy?• Are you using materials, water and energy as efficiently as you can?• Are you reducing toxicity from products or potential for hazards to staff?

How are you managinghealth, safety andenvironmental issues?

To successfully manage health, safety and environmental issues you must gain a betterunderstanding of your products and processes. Consider the following ... • Which products are hazardous to health? • Are safer products available? • How well do staff know your operation? • Are materials and energy used efficiently? • Are you in compliance? • What happens if there is a spill? Having systems in place to address issues like these will produce a healthier and saferworkplace, benefit the environment, reduce legal issues and produce profits.

How do you rate?

The bottom line....

Throughout this guide are links to HS&Elegal requirements. It is better to stayahead of legislation. Always know thebottom line.

Does your operation have any or all of the following?• A Health, Safety and Environment policy• Allocated responsibilities to staff and a HSE committee• A regular audit of health, safety and materials use and wastage• A plan and procedures in place for high-risk activities• Copies of your site design, structures and drainage• A prioritised list of options for improvement• A health, safety and environmental training procedure for staff• A budget to account for health, safety and the environment• Information for customers & suppliers of good practices you undertake• A commitment to continual improvement

step by step 5

Every business should have a policy explaining how they intend to reduce health and safetyimpacts for staff and the environment. The policy demonstrates commitment and may be usedin company literature and marketing materials. Commitment, action, education, co-ordinationand review are key factors to producing and managing a successful policy!

Key Factors

Commitment:How will you care forstaff and theenvironment?

Acme Print Health, Safety and Environment Policy

Action: How do you plan toachieve thiscommitment?

Education: How will you make staffaware?

Acme Print recognise our responsibility to reduce the environmental impacts of our businessactivities and to provide our employees with a healthy and safe place in which to work. Our goalis to go beyond compliance by setting high standards, which establish us as leaders in ourindustry.

Acme Print is committed to: Preventing accidents or injuries by using best H&S practicesKeeping our site tidyReducing waste through implementing:• Materials inventory system to reduce wastage• Process and product redesign• Reusing materials within the factory• Recycling waste materialsReducing toxicity by:• Working with suppliers to find alternative cleaners and inks.Using water and energy efficiently:• Monitoring the use of energy and water• Practicing good housekeeping methodsPromoting good practice to our staff, customers and suppliers by:• Training staff

• Sending copies of our HS&E policy to all customers and suppliers

Acme Print will regularly inform all employees of company practices and ensure that they know why and how we will fulfil our stated objectives by:• Having health, safety and environmental management issues discussed at staff meetings• Providing incentives for staff to contribute ideas to help us achieve our goals• Encouraging staff to attend relevant seminars and training programmes

Coordination:Who is going to beresponsible for makingthis happen?

Meeting our HS&E commitments will be the responsibility of all staff. Our Operations Manager will report all HS&E progress and issues for resolving to the Managing Director.

Annual review:How will you continuallyimprove?The bottom line....There are no legal requirements to produce thiskind of policy however formal commitment to theprotection of people and the environment can begood defence in a legal case.

Each year Acme Print will review our achievements and set new goals. We will keep customersand stakeholders informed of progress through an annual HS&E company report.

6 policy

1.1DEVELOP A POLICY

Good organisational procedures are key to the success of any HS&E programme. Managers orcompany directors must be committed to achieving success with the programme and take eachstep seriously. BUT they can’t do it by themselves.

In every organisation there is a person interested and capable of being the coordinator, or champion, of your HS&E programme. Ask around to see who might be interested.Depending on the size of your operation your champion may need some additional support.A HS&E team may only be two people. The size of the team should reflect the size of theoperation and the areas of work. The team should have access to:• Financial knowledge• Technical and process knowledge• Environmental and health and safety knowledge• Good people skills • Commitment and enthusiasmThe first role of the team is to set project objects and time frames for your HS&E programme.e.g.

The 2001 HS&E Plan for Acme Print

The bottom line...Employers must make staff aware of their responsibilities under HSElegislation. Both managers and staffcan be held legally responsible andfinancially liable for breaches of legislation.

Develop a Champion and HS&E Team

• Get agreement for plan from managers or directors • Inform and motivate others in order to get their support and participation in setting-up

systems, monitoring and then reporting progress.

Next steps:

responsibility 7

1.2ALLOCATE RESPONSIBILITY

TO STAFF

Priority Action Budget? Due by

1. Conduct a company wide Staff time June 30th 2002HS&E audit

2. Audit all chemicals and gather all Staff Time June 30th 2002MSDS’s together in a folder

3. Produce HS&E policy with staff Staff Time Dec 30th 2002and management

4. Implement a full Recycling Recycling Dec 30th 2002programme containers

5. Set-up computer based monitoring Staff time Dec 30th 2002systems for waste, water andenergy use

See Section 1.6 Assess and Prioritise Options

Regularly inspect your site using the ‘Routine Site Audit Sheet’ - page 9. Look for and recordany health or safety matters, and any areas where your activities are impacting on theenvironment. Good housekeeping practices save money, the environment and reduce potentialfor accidents or spills.

In order to further improve efficiencies and reduce costs you need to have a betterunderstanding or your activities (i.e. what you use or purchase, how your processing is done,what and where wastes are generated etc.). A more detailed audit would include the following:

The bottom line....It is a legal requirement under the RMAfor businesses to have a tidy site -regular inspections help keep sites tidy.You can be fined for illegally disposingof waste to land, air or water - even if it is unintentional.

Detailed materials audit

Routine site audit

1.3CARRY OUT AN AUDIT

What you use...

Record water use?

Record energy use?

Keep records of allmaterials stored on site?

Keep records of allchemicals on site?

Assess packaging &containers?

Printing Process

Deliveries

Storage

Processing

Packaging

Storage & transport

Waste & Products

Solid waste

Trade (liquid) waste

Waste energy

Air emissions

Products & packaging

8 audit

➧

➧➧

➧➧

➧

➧

• Walk around your site on a regular basis to ensure it is tidy, there is no likelihoodof accidents, or that debris is not getting into stormwater drains

• Check your meter and keep monthly records so that you can spot any peak water use times

• Have details supplied on your energy use from your energy supplier• Record all products in stock (e.g. hazardous substances etc), and their shelf life,

through a ‘materials inventory system’, (including dangerous goods classification, physical state, package size, maximum quantity stored, total quantity available).

• Record how much waste is produced and where it comes from• Record waste and type found in waste bins• Have procedures in place for optimal running of processes and machines• Keep records of all potential hazards and HS&E requirements for staff

ROUTINE SITE AUDIT SHEET

audit 9

Routine Site Audit Sheet

Conducted daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly (circle one)

Conducted by: Date:

Observation Location Time Action

Debris around Outside delivery bay 10am included in weekly stormwater pipe clearing schedule

Lid left off Cleaner container Printing Dept 3pm replaced lid

Bob 22/7/01

Operate goodhousekeeping A tidy site = a clean, safe environment!

Bad housekeeping is unsightly, unsafe and often harms the environment.

Make sure you...

The bottom line...It is a legal requirement under theRMA for businesses to have a tidy siteAND to ensure debris, or anysubstances do not leak intostormwater drains or onto the land.

10 housekeeping

• Keep all outdoor surfaces clean and tidy of debris, litter. Clean up regularly during theday and have an extra thorough clean at the end of each day and each week -remember not to let wash-up water get into stormwater drains.

• Keep lids securely on outdoor drums and other storage vessels so rain can’t get inand lids can’t fall off if they are knocked over.

• Keep collection trays under all decanting areas to ensure material doesn’t spill ontothe ground - then make sure they don’t overflow.

• Create an inspection schedule so that all sources or potential causes of pollution areavoided. Good maintenance is part of good housekeeping

• Never leave open taps or valves unattended - always have either an automatic cut-offsystem or a staff member watching at all times

• Always wash vehicles, equipment and machinery in a dedicated wash bay, never outin the yard where wash waters can get into stormwater.

• Do not wash down ‘empty drums’ in an area where the wash water can get intostormwater drains.

• Beware of electrical hazards. Regularly check for broken plugs, sockets or switches,fraying or damaged leads.

Accidents happen, even in the best workplaces, so you must be prepared.

1. Have you assessed and reduced all risks? 2. Have you thought ahead so that you can deal with high-risk activities? 3. Do you train your staff to deal with high-risk activities?4. Do you keep up-to-date with information?

The bottom line....

It is a legal requirement under the RMAand the HSE Act to ensure the safetyand protection of staff and theenvironment.

The HSE Act requires employers to:

Keep a register of work-relatedaccidents and serious harm. Employersmust also investigate all accidents todetermine whether they were causedby a significant hazard. Where seriousharm occurs to employees; employersmust notify the nearest OSH officewithin 7 days.

Ask yourself...

Identify all high risk activities for example • Hazardous substances• Hazardous waste• Noise• Manual handling• Electricity• Involve staff in the process of identifying high risk activities• Make sure all staff are informed of these high risk activities• Has a plan been developed for each high-risk activity?• Are you aware of the safe practices in dealing with high-risk activities?• Are you aware of the reporting procedures in case of serious harm?

Take control of high-riskactivities!

• Keeping your site tidy• Anything to do with hazardous substance use and disposal• How you will deal with a spill• How you reduce noise• Issues of manual handling of substances

Key issues for thisindustry include:

1.4DEVELOP PROCEDURES

FOR HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES

high risk procedures 11

Maintain Health & Safetyprocedures

Good Health and Safety practices require you to set up and maintain records, monitor andeliminate hazards

Maintain records

The bottom line....

Under ACC legislation records shouldbe held for a minimum of 7 years incase of any retrospective action fromemployees. (Personal records onemployees can be used in case of adispute). Finally employers must, underHSE legislation, take all practicablesteps to eliminate, isolate or minimisesignificant hazards that may be asource of harm for employees

You need records for the following in order to monitor Health and Safety in your workplace:• Inspections carried out• Visits from inspectors (invited or during routine inspections)• Visits from industrial health nurses (include copies of reports)• Copies of all Health and Safety Audits and maintenance reports• Copies of accidents records and the accident register• Reports from supervisors on hazards, which have been reported, and how they have

been rectified.• Optional: you may wish to include personal information on employees (e.g, accidents

or attitudes towards health and safety generally - these must be made available toemployees under the Privacy Act.)

Monitor hazards All hazards should be identified within a workplace. • Physical: noise, lighting, manual handling, electricity, walking areas etc• Chemical: vapours, fumes, solvents, acids, sprays etc• Biological: fungi, bacteria etc• Psychological: stress, shift work etc • Ergonomic: seating, postures, work patterns etc

Steps to manage hazards Finally steps should be taken to eliminate, isolate or minimise significant hazards, to ensure thatemployees are not harmed while at work. What is the likelihood of harm occurring to your employees through no action being taken? • What are the risks to your employees?• What medical information and knowledge is readily available in case of an accident

or injury?Use the Hazard Identification Sheet (Page 13)

12 health & safety procedures

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION SHEET

hazards 13

HAZARD POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT ELIMINATE ISOLATE MINIMISE ACTION COMPLETION FREQUENCYHARM HAZARD PROPOSED DATE OF

Y/N? MONITORING

Electrical Fall Yes ✔ Install power 30/7/01 6 monthly

cable (bruising points close inspection

or sprain) to activity

Electrical Electrocution Yes ✔ Install power 30/7/01 6 monthly

cable near points close inspection

water to activity

or run leads

over head

Blanket wash Dermatitis Yes ✔ ✔ Investigate 30/7/01 Weekly

safe inspection

alternatives.

Introduce

hand-care

programme

Have processes forreporting injuries oraccidents

There are many circumstances where an accident or injury may take place. All accidents,including near misses, need to be investigated and controlled. This includes injury orillness, property damage and near-misses. The common problems recorded in the industry are: eye problems or headaches, hearing loss,shakes or dizziness, skin problems, back pain or stress and tension. However there are manyother areas where employees may suffer from injury or illness. Most are a response tochemical use, noise, poor lighting, work areas or stress.

Why record andinvestigate accidents?

• So that you can identify the real cause of the accident or incident• So that you can develop effective methods of preventing future similar accidents • So that you meet legislative requirements

Where do you recorddetails?

You must record accidents and serious harm details in an accident register. Forms are availableat OSH offices or can be downloaded from www.osh.dol.govt.nz/order/catalogue/index.html.(Ask for the record of accident/serious harm forms.)

What action should youtake in case of seriousharm?

1. Do not disturb the accident scene, except to:• Save life or limit suffering• Maintain access to essential services or utilities• Prevent serious damage or loss of property

2. Notify the nearest OSH office of any case involving serious harm as soon as possible afterthe accident has occurred

3. Send prescribed accident form to OSH within seven days

Carry out aninvestigation

• Decide who should investigate• Gather all the facts• Identify all hazards involved• Assess the hazard controls in place• Decide on future action• Inform all those affected• Follow-up.

The bottom line....

The HSE Act requires employers torecord and investigate all accidents inwork places; additionally accidentsrequiring ‘serious harm’ notificationmust be reported to an OSH officewithin 7 days.

14 reporting injuries

RECORD OF ACCIDENT/SERIOUS HARM

record accidents 15

Understand hazardoussubstances

Hazardous substances are now an integral part of business andour daily life. Inks, solvents, cleaning fluids, blanket washesand dampeners are classified as hazardous substances.

Hazardous substancesare...

The bottom line....

Under the RMA and HSE Code for theManagement of Substances Hazardousto Health (MOSHH) all practicable stepsmust be taken to avoid harm toemployees and the environment.Anyone that uses a hazardoussubstance must: 1- be aware of itshazardous properties; 2- be providedwith protection equipment, wherenecessary; and 3 - know how to dealwith a spill or accident.

16 hazardous substances

Hazardous:• To the health of the user, • To people who inadvertently come in contact with the substance, or• To the physical environment.

The ‘hazard’ can arise through the production, use, and handling of a product or through anaccident or spill. A hazardous substance has one or more of the following properties:Explosiveness; Flammability; Ability to oxidise; Corrosiveness; Toxicity (including chronictoxicity) or Ecotoxicity (potential harm to the environment).

The ‘Management of Substances Hazardous to Health’, MOSHH Code makes employersresponsible for the following: • Provide information and training on how they should be used; the risks and precautions

to take. Keep all MSDS’s readily accessible.

• Assess risks to health arising from the hazardous substance

• Implement measures to control the risk

• Monitor exposure levels and carry out health surveillance if necessary

• Review assessments and keep records.

Priorities for dealing with hazardous substances are: 1. Eliminate hazards to employees - e.g. what new processes are available that reduce risk?

2. Substitute with a less hazardous material - e.g. traditional toxic solvents with newersafer alternatives.

3. Isolate significant hazards if elimination is impractical - e.g. enclose the operation orsubstance to reduce evaporative emissions i.e. keep lids on containers. Minimise significant hazards if you are unable to eliminate or substitute them - e.g. useventilation control systems as a first step. Suitable respirators may be required if othercontrol measures are not practical.Make sure you have the right personal protective equipment to protect yourself fromharm. Protective gloves may be required when handling a number of hazardoussubstances, make sure you choose the right one for the job. (See Glove Selection page 26.)

Advice on hazardouswaste disposal

A number of hazardous wastes are generated during the production process and must bedisposed of responsibly. This includes spent inks, cleaners, and other solvents, theircontainers and any solvent soiled rags.

Disposing of hazardous waste

The bottom line....

It is a legal requirement under the RMAfor businesses to dispose of hazardouswaste correctly. It is illegal to placesolvent soaked rags, containers withspent solvents or any other hazardousmaterial in the general waste collection,or to tip it onto land or down the drain.

Providers differ all over the country. The best way for you to find out how to legally andresponsibly dispose of a hazardous waste is to either:

1. Contact your product supplierThe product supplier should be able to provide the legal options for disposing of theproducts they sell or manufacture. (For legal reasons it may be wise to ask for thisinformation in writing). Disposal options should be detailed in the MSDS.

2. Contact your waste contractorsYour waste contractor may be licensed to dispose of the hazardous waste you have. Askthem for advice or an alternative waste disposal company if they cannot help. If they areprepared to accept your hazardous waste request a contract in writing. (This ensures somelegal protection.)

3. Contact your Regional, City or District Council If you still require clarification or assistance on hazardous waste disposal options Councilsshould be able to provide you with contact names for companies who will responsiblyhandle your waste.

Simple housekeepingreduces hazardouswaste

• Keep lids on solvents to reduce wastage and evaporative emissions. • Place solvent soaked rags in a covered bin • Dispose of rags frequently using a registered contractor • Regularly remind staff of correct procedures or they may develop shortcuts

and compromise safety.Note: Landfills and sewerage treatment plants generally do not accept hazardous wastes unless they have been treated to stabilise them or render them non-hazardous. Ignorance of your legal requirements is no excuse!

hazardous waste 17

Understanding MaterialSafety Data Sheets

OSH recommends the following information be included on all MSDS’s. Make sure that youhave the following information on all your hazardous chemicals. You may find some of thisinformation missing; see your supplier if this is the case.

18 material safety data sheets

MSDS Information continued...

(Source: Occupational Safety and Health. Management of Substances Hazardous To Health. Guidelinesfor preparation of Material Safety Data Sheets in New Zealand. 1995. pp12-13)

material safety data sheets 19

HOW DO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES HARM PEOPLEAND THE ENVIRONMENT?

Substance People Environment

Solvents & fuels Can damage the central nervous system;cause headaches; loss of co-ordinationand tremors. Extended exposure can causebrain damage.

Damage fish gills - so they can no longerbreathe or poison animals or burn plants.Vapours have a major fire and explosionpotential, especially in confined spacessuch as drains or storm water pipes.Hydrocarbons accumulate in sediments inriverbeds.

Oil May be explosive if not handled properly. Carbon Monoxide (CO) emissions arecreated when oil is burned. CO may causeheadaches, tiredness and stress; impairconcentration and cause accidents. COmay aggravate asthma.

Oil covers the surface of water preventingoxygen getting to fish and other aquaticlife, oiling birds and other creatures livingon the water’s surface. The heavier parts ofoil accumulate in sediments in riverbeds.Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is emitted whenfossil fuels are burnt contributing togreenhouse gas emissions.

Cleaning agentsespecially organic solvents(volatile organic compounds-VOCs) or similar

Organic solvents (such as meths & whitespirits) can be breathed in, swallowed orenter the body through the skin. Regularexposure can cause intoxication, reducedcoordination and memory, tiredness andconcentration problems as well as damageto the central nervous system. Organicsolvents can also de-fat the skin and maycause or contribute to dermatitis. Theypose a fire and explosion hazard.

Detergents, degreasers or disinfectants allcause harm to aquatic plants and animalsthrough poisoning, burning and irritatingtheir sensitive membranes and tissues.Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) caninterfere with photosynthesis and causeozone depletion in the stratosphere.

Heavy metals Heavy metals can build up in our bodiesand are suspected hormone disruptingchemicals - causing birth defects,infertility, cancer and other serious healthproblems.

Often found in inks (lead, chromium,cadmium) all inhibit plant growth andpoison aquatic creatures by accumulatingin their bodies. Metals do not break downin the environment but build-up throughthe food chain and accumulate insediments in riverbeds.

Chlorine A by-product of chlorine burning is thecreation of dioxin - one of the mosthazardous man-made substances known.

Commonly found in cleaning compoundsand in our drinking water. While lowconcentrations are not harmful to humansthey are toxic to bacteria, insects and fish.The by-product of chlorine, dioxin, causeslong-term harm to aquatic and animal life.

20 hazardous substances

Prevent spills A spill outdoors may run straight into the stormwater system and pollute the neareststream, beach or underground water – unless you know what to do and do it immediately.

The bottom line....

Under the RMA it is illegal to dischargecontaminants onto land, water or airwithout consent. Over 20% of notifiedpollution incidents come from spills oraccidents. Everyone has a duty toavoid, remedy or mitigate adverseeffects. Adopting a spill contingencyplan reduces the likelihood of a seriousincident and therefore prosecution isless likely under the RMA

spills 21

Ask yourself...

Assess your risk

Reduce your risk

• What steps have you taken to minimise the risk of a spill?• Do you have a contingency plan in case of a spill?• Do your staff know what to do in case of a spill?• Do you record all spills?

• List all substances stored on your site, including wastes, cleaners or fuels• Clearly and accurately label all substances• Obtain all material safety data sheets (MSDS)• Look at high-risk areas on your site, where materials

are handled and stored• Find out the sites and causes of previous spills• Identify the most likely spill and the most serious

spill that could occur• Identify water bodies that a spill from your site

could pollute

• Ensure your site is properly designed for your activities• Put in place good housekeeping, inspection

and maintenance practices• Avoid using or storing hazardous or

environmentally harmful substances• Avoid generating hazardous or

environmentally harmful wastes• Ensure you have a spill kit and procedures

in place to manage spills• Train your staff what to do when there

is a spill

Train your staff Evaluate the effectiveness of your training by asking your staff the following questions.

Check how effective yourtraining has been withstaff

• Do you know where all the MSD sheets are kept? • Who do you notify that a spill has occurred? • How do you identify what the spill material is? • How do you find out if it needs special handling? • Is anyone hurt? What do you do if they are? • How do you contain the source? • Where is the spill likely to go? • How do you prevent the spill escaping off site? • Where are spill containment equipment and protective gear kept? • Where is a copy of the spill procedure kept? • How do you clean up the spill and dispose of the spill and clean up materials

while still avoiding further pollution? • What happens after the spill? (for example, write a spill report, implement

procedures to prevent future spills)

How can you increasethe number of materialsreused and recycled?

If you require training assistance, look in the Yellow pages under Safety Consultants andSafety Equipment and ask if someone can tailor training to the needs of your staff and site.

Photocopy Basic Procedure for Spills information and place on wall for staff to read. (See Basic Procedure for Spills page 23)

22 spills

Basic Procedures for Spills

1. BE SAFE• What is it?• Do you need safety gear?

2. STOP THE SOURCE• Turn off the tap, unplug the plug or upright the

container.

3. PROTECT STORMWATER• Confine the spill with sandbags, booms or clean rags,

or other suitable material.• Block off access to stormwater grates with drain

covers, shut-off valves etc.

4. NOTIFY• Tell your supervisor• Inform other agencies if needed. (Contact the

Regional Council’s Pollution Control Team if water orland pollution has or may occur).

5. CLEAN UP• Neutralise hazardous substances.• Pump or sweep into safe container.• Clean up all residues of the spill without allowing

wash water or sweepings to get into stormwatergrates or the soil.

6. DISPOSE RESPONSIBLY• Use a responsible waste disposal contractor to

remove contaminated material and clean up gear

7. RESTOCK AND REVIEW• Immediately replace all used clean-up material• Assess the cause of the spill and take any steps

necessary to prevent recurrence

spills 23

Beware of noise Noise problems are not confined to big production operations - people in small shopsmay also be exposed to excessive noise.

Reduce noise by:

The bottom line....

Under the RMA and HSE legislation allpracticable steps must be taken byemployers to avoid harm to employeesand the environment. Excessive noisecan be a serious issue if not addressedresponsibly.

Under the HSE Act employers mustmonitor the health of employees if theyare exposed to a hazard. Werecommend that a qualified healthprofessional check employees yearly,for hearing, eyesight, and bloodpressure. (Note: Consent from staff isrequired for this monitoring.)

• Introducing a ‘Buy Quiet’ policy to include noise output specifications whenbuying in new or replacing old equipment.

• Quietening the source of noise. e.g. lining metal chutes with scrap rubber.• Stopping noise from reaching people. e.g. by moving a noisy machine away from

people, by building a sound proof enclosure around it, or by putting a noisebarrier between the machine and the people

• Reducing the time staff are exposed to noise. Where possible people shouldswap between noisy and quiet jobs so that nobody gets exposed to noise fortoo long.

• Wearing personal hearing protection when necessary. If noise is still excessiveafter all possible control measures have been taken, individual protection likeearmuffs, or earplugs should be worn.

How do you know if youare at risk?

If you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, chances are that noise in your workplace could beputting your hearing at risk.

YES NO1. At work, do you have to shout to make yourself understood by

somebody about one arms length away?

2. Do you get ringing or buzzing in your ears after work, or afterparticular jobs at work?

3. Do your family or friends say you have difficulty hearing them when you get home?

4. Do you have to turn the volume up on the TV or radio after a day atwork?

5. Do you often have to ask people to repeat things they’ve just said?

24 noise

Operate good handlingprocedures

Poorly designed workplaces cause thousands of injuries to New Zealand workers each year. The most common are bad backs and other strains or sprains caused bymanual handling.

Are you at risk of injury? Do you ever find yourself in the position where you...• Are carrying loads that are too heavy?• Lifting loads from awkward heights or positions?• Handling loads which are unstable and move when being carried?• Having to carry loads too often or too fast.

Prevent injury by alteringyour operations.

• Limit the need for manual handling. If large amounts of stacking of materials,loading of machines, or the bagging of materials are done you may want toinvestigate mechanising your operations. For example• conveyors or forklifts • providing staff with appropriate lifting gear• by moving work areas closer together.

• Change the job or the load, so that it is lighter or easier to carry.• Are two people needed to lift some loads?

• Avoid having to twist or turn when carrying a heavy load.• Reduce the frequency and pace of lifting - even the repetitive lifting of a small

load can cause damage over time.

With the increased useof computers comesincreased potential forOOS (OccupationalOveruse Syndrome).

The bottom line....

Under HSE legislation all practicablesteps must be taken to avoid harm toemployees. Businesses can be fined fornot complying with HSE legislation.

Avoid OOS by:• Checking the physical workspace - the set-up, height, lighting etc• Encouraging regular breaks, relaxation techniques and pacing work loads• Structuring work routines so that there is not too much repetitiveness, hours

of work are reasonable etc.

handling 25

Protective equipmentand appropriate dressing

For those employees who work in a print factory the following equipment is recommended:• Overalls or an apron - to protect clothes.• Wear long hair tied back.• Choose the right gloves for the job and regularly check gloves to make sure

there are no leaks.• Use specialised safety footwear in case of dropping heavy objects.• Wear goggles and a mask when working with chemicals.• If the factory floor is noisy you may require ear protection. Get advice from

your employer.

(Source: this guide is from the OSH ‘Practical Guidelines for the Safe use of OrganicSolvents’ 1992, p 14.)

26 handling

Guidelines for selecting

glove materials

Solvent Viton Nitrile Butyl Rubber Natural Rubber PVC

Acetone P P E G PAmyl acetone P P E F PCyclohexane E E P P FDimethyl formamide P F E P PEthyl acetate P P G P PEthanol G E E E GHexane E E P P FIsopropanol E G E E GKerosene E E P P FMethanol F E E E EMethyl cellosolve P F G P -Methylene chloride G P F P PMethyl ethyl ketone P P E G P(MEK)Methyl ethyl ketone P P G F F(MIBK)Perchloroethylene E F P P PPetroleum distillate G E P P PPropyl acetate P P G P FStoddard solvent E E P P FStyrene G P P P PToluene E F P P PTrichloroethylene E F P P -Turpentine E E P P FXylene E F P P P

Key: E=Excellent, G=Good, F=Fair, P=Poor, - no data

Machine guards Every dangerous part of a machine must be guarded. Check all moving parts, particularlythose that nip, cut, punch or crush. Ideally machines should be guarded so that they can beused safely without interference.• Fixed guards are preferable where little access is required. Put levers / lubrication

points on the outside. These guards should be securely bolted to the machine• Where it is necessary to get inside the guard, an interlocking guard is needed so

that if the guard is open the machine cannot run• Presence sensing devices are lights designed to stop the machine if the person is

sensed. However, they may fail without warning• Two button controls are not guards and are not an alternative for proper

guarding. • All machine operators must be fully trained on how to use machinery and

equipment safely.

Binding machinery• The stitching head on machines should be guarded to prevent access when work

is in place. • Guards are needed for book sewing machines and hand fed machines with

moving anvils. • Adhesive machines with circular saws should be well guarded.

Buckle folding machines• Infeed rollers should have fixed guards to protect fingers.

Casemaking• Enclosed guards should be interlocked to the machine drive

Paper cutting machines • Note: electric eyes (photo electric safety systems) should be avoided, as they do

not acknowledge left handed or two-handed operations.• Rear table guarding should be fitted unless access to the rear table is completely

prevented.

Cutting and creasing• Devices should be fitted in areas particularly during making-ready, clearing waste

stages. Machine sides should also be protected

Gatherers, stitchers and trimmers• Should be fitted with interlocked guards for the rollers and trimmers.

Knives• During the changing of guillotine knives operators should store them in a

purpose built rack and never hone the knife while it is mounted on the machine.

The bottom line....

Under HSE legislation all practicablesteps must be taken to avoid harm toemployees. Businesses can be fined fornot complying with HSE legislation.

Note: Scalpels should be sheathed or stuck in cork when not in use.

machine guards 27

Guards should be on thefollowing equipment:

Emergency proceduresfor staff

Do you have procedures in place in case of either a human-made or natural disaster?Procedures need to be developed BEFORE an emergency arises.

Are you prepared for anemergency?

Employees should:

It is the role of the employer to:1. Identify and record all emergency situations that could arise.2. Develop procedures for employees, contractors and the public3. Inform necessary authorities of emergency procedures4. Test emergency procedures every 12 months5. Keep all MSDS’s (Material Safety Data Sheets) available for staff and for emergency

services. (Have advice from suppliers available on chemical spill procedures.)6. Appoint a coordinator to take control in an emergency and oversee first aid provisions.

• Know who to go to for first aid and who to go to for an emergency?• Know the safety procedures and their role in that process?• Know what to do in an emergency?• Know where the muster point is?

What emergency equipment do you have on site? We recommend you have the following equipment and that staff know how to use it.• Fire extinguishers• First aid kits• Eye-washes• Emergency showers• Breathing sets• Portable resuscitators (for larger operations)• Fire blankets

Employees issued with any protective items (such as footwear, masks, gloves) must beresponsible for safely using and storing them. Personal items must not be shared withothers for hygiene reasons.

28 emergency procedures

The bottom line....

• Under HSE legislation every premisesmust have a clear policy onemergency procedures. This shouldcover accidents, fire, explosion andother potential emergencies thatmight arise while employees are at work.

• You must provide first aid facilitiesand develop procedures for dealingwith an emergency. OSHrecommends at least one first-aiderin each workplace.

• The Fire Safety & Evacuation ofBuildings Regulations require certainworkplaces to have an approvedevacuation procedure.

• Under the Civil Defence Act - allworkplaces must have civil defenceprocedures in place.

Simple structural and site design faults can result in serious pollution and harm to people - yet most are comparatively easy to spot and fix.

All sites should be accompanied by a site plan, which includes information on location of:• Drainage plans: storm water pipes, down pipes, cesspits, drains to sewers, sanitary

sewers, gully traps, manholes and natural waterways (streams). (See understandingthe difference pg30)

• Work areas: offices, lunchrooms, ablutions, washtubs, printing machines, finishingequipment, storage areas, carparks etc

• Solid and hazardous waste areas: waste skips, recycling bins, hazardous waste storesetc

• Site boundaries and contact details for neighbours.

If you answer yes to any of these questions you must have procedures in place to reducehazards to people and the environment.Note: you may include information on electrical cables, sockets or switches, the placement of circuit boards, or automatic cut-out points.

The bottom line....

Under the RMA it is illegal to dischargecontaminants into streams orstormwater drains - knowing wherethey are is an important first step toensuring this does not happen.

How well do you knowyour premises?

site design 29

1.5INCLUDE SITE

DESIGN & STRUCTURAL PLANS

Do you have any of these things on your site?Yes No

• Wash-down area

• Storage area (dangerous goods, hazardous substances, cleaners, detergents etc)

• Concrete bunds

• Loading or unloading and decanting areas

• Refuelling and soil storage areas

• Stockpiles of chemicals

• Underground or above ground storage tanks

• Stormwater protection, like oil separators, sediment traps or containment systems

ACME PRINTERS LTD321 STREAMSIDE DRIVE

DATE PLANUPDATED

DRAINAGE PLAN

0 5 10

METRES

OU

TFA

LL

PAINT SHOP

OVERNIGHT PARKINGFOR CUSTOMERS CARS

PRINT FINISHINGAREA

LUNCHROOM

ABLUTIONS

OF

FIC

E

GRASS

EDGE OF CONCRETE

WEEDYBANK

Neighbouring Property: Zenith Auto Mechanics

Next Door: Ace Binding BOUNDARY

BOUNDARY

BO

UN

DA

RY

ST

RE

AM

SID

E D

RIV

E

CLE

AR

WAT

ER

CR

EE

KF

LOW

DRIVEWAY

GT

GT

Slope

MAY 1998Stormwater PipeDownpipeCesspitCut off drains that flow to sanitary sewer

DP

CP

Sanitary SewerGully TrapManhole

GT

DP

DP DP

DP

CP

CP

CP

CP

SK

IP O

FIN

K FO

RR

EC

YC

LING

COVEREDWASTE SKIP

2 PALLETS OF DRUMS OF PAINT

2 PALLETSOF EMPTY DRUMS TO BE COLLECTED

BY DISTRIBUTOR

FORMER OUTDOORINK STORAGEAREA (NOT USED NOW)

Cut off drainsstop wastewaterfrom flowing outof building

Wash Tubs

➝➝

➝➝

➝

➝➝

➝

SlopeSlope

Drainage plan for a small site

Bunded Area

Understand thedifference betweenstormwater &wastewater

To prevent water pollution it is important to understand the difference betweenstormwater pipes and sanitary sewers.• Stormwater pipes collect rainfall that lands on OUTDOOR surfaces like roofs,

roads, yards and car parks. The rain running off these surfaces is channelledthrough stormwater grates in road gutters, yards and parking lots which run intostormwater pipes that end up in a stream, harbour, beach, lake or undergroundwater system.

• Sanitary sewers collect waste flows primarily from INSIDE your office or factory.Sanitary wastes from sinks, toilets, baths or showers and liquid trade wastesfrom the printing process flow through the sewer network to a treatment plantand are treated prior to being disposed of into the environment. (Make sure yourwaste pipes are connected to the sewer NOT to the stormwater by checking yourdrainage plans or if in doubt contact your local Council).

Pollutants or wastes that get into stormwater pipes end up in our streams or harbours orunderground water supplies - a serious state of affairs for your local environment and yourcompany’s environmental liability.

The bottom line....

Under the RMA it is illegal to dischargecontaminants into streams orstormwater drains. Substantial fineswill be issued to offenders.

30 water

Manholes are used for maintenance and inspection

then it comes out at the closest stream...

In volcanic rocks,stormwater soaksinto aquifers usedfor water supply

Waste gets in through stormwater grates

then it flows throughstormwater pipes...

Pollution through stormwater systems - how it happens . . .

Ask yourself... • Do you know where your drains go and what’s going into them?• Do you have a copy of your drainage plan?• Are all your drains being used for the ‘right’ purpose?If you don’t have a drainage plan it may be held at your local or regionalcouncil. If they don’t have one you will need to get one drawn up.Clearly mark your stormwater grates ‘RAIN ONLY’ to ensure no one tips anything downthem.

Complete the followingchecklist to ensure yourdrainage plan is accurateand up to date.

Tick Yes or No...Yes No

Stormwater pipes and their inlets:

Down pipes, stormwater grates and manholes

Any open drains

Any internal low point where runoff might pond

Any areas where unpiped runoff leaves your site

Any stormwater treatment system, for example, oil or grease

Interceptors, flow control or shut-off devices on cesspits,Swales (open drains - often grass covered), ponds or filters

Sanitary sewers and their inlets:

gully traps, trade waste connections, floor drains and manholes

Other wastewater systems such as pumps, whether interior oroutdoors, including those on underground storage tanks, closed loop systems

Location of major areas of activity such as wash down, storage,parking, unloading and processing areas -especially liquid process systems

Flow diagrams for pipe networks or products or raw materials

water 31

Look out for: • Hidden manholes: some manholes may be sealed over or not easily seen, but you need to know where they are

• Closed loop systems: closed loop systems have the potential to cause pollutionby leaks or ruptures

• Pumps: pumps can drip, leak and malfunction, wasting product and causing pollution

Roof water putinto the gully trapgoes into thesanitary sewer

If the gully trap does not have araised wall, surface water from the yard will flow into the sanitary sewer

Outside sinks andother fixtures hookedinto downpipes

to stormwateroutfall

to sanitary sewerand treatment plant

Raised wall aroundgully trap keepsstormwater runofffrom yard out ofsanitary sewer

Wastewaterfrom interiorsinks and otherfixtures goesinto gully traps

Once you have a good picture of your business and how you run your business activities youshould start looking for options for improvement that are beyond compliance.

• Record energy use and costs • Record water use and costs• Keep an inventory of products in store; including hazardous and non-hazardous

materials (and their purchasing and disposal costs)

This will make prioritising actions for improvement easier. Knowing this information shouldassist when investigating or assessing options: e.g.• Implement process, schedule or production changes to increase energy efficiency

and reduce solid waste or wastewater.• Start a comprehensive recycling system to reduce waste and disposal fees.• Substitute hazardous materials for safe alternatives.• Work with suppliers to reduce or return packaging or to develop low hazard cleaners.• Inform customers of your commitment to good HS&E management.

As part of your auditprocedure you shouldmeasure resources use

1. Do those things that are required to comply with the law first!2. Identify those changes that make the biggest, quickest or easiest savings e.g.

• Look at biggest or most expensive wastes3. Prioritise other changes for future financial years and make provision in your annual budget

process for further review so you can make ongoing improvements.

You can’t do everythingat once - so set somepriorities.

• Reduce waste• Save energy • Reduce air emissions• Conserve water• Substitute hazardous materials for safe alternatives

Following are checklistsfor you to:

1.6ASSESS AND PRIORITISE

OPTIONS

32 waste

Reduce solid waste Why pour money down the drain?The best way to reduce costs and the risk of pollution from your wastes is to follow thewaste management hierarchy:• Reduce the amount of waste you generate and its toxicity• Reuse as much material as you can• Recycle what you cannot reuse• Recover useable product or energy from your wastes, so that• Residual wastes are all that remain for disposal

- saving money and reducing environmental risk

• Do we really know how much our waste costs us?• Can we produce less waste?• Can we reuse, recycle, sell or exchange wastes or by-products?• Can we recover any reuseable product from our wastes?• Do we have any hazardous wastes?• Would using less hazardous substances such as pre-press chemicals, inks and

washes make our waste less harmful?• Can we produce a final waste for disposal that is less polluting or hazardous?

Measuring the cost ofyour waste

You will need to find out exactly:• How much waste you produce (include solid waste, liquid waste and

hazardous waste)• What your waste consists of • How much it costs you to manage, store and dispose of it• A waste audit is an easy and effective tool to help you obtain this information.

Conduct your own waste audit or contract someone to conduct one for you (see Contacts section for more information).

Reducing your waste Waste minimisation means eliminating waste before it is created.You can reduce the total volume of waste generated or its strength or toxicity.Both will reduce your costs!

waste 33

Work with customers andsuppliers to reducewaste

• By working with your customers you may be able to reduce wastage through theredesign of the product.

• Redesigning the workplace OR rethinking production lines for improved efficiency• By separating your recyclables from the non-recyclable wastes• Work with suppliers to develop safer products which meet your job requirements• Assess the amount of packaging and look for options for reuse, recycling or return

to suppliers for refilling • Request information on safe disposal options

Ask yourself...

Reusing and recyclingyour waste

Can you reduce, reuseand recycle more of yourwaste? Complete thischecklist to find out!

How can you increasethe number of materialsreused and recycled?

Investigate your options. Involve all your staff; ask for ideas, solutions, and alternatives. Contact suppliers and ask if containers can be reused or returned.

Substitute hazardous materials with less hazardous ones.• Non-hazardous or less toxic substances, (e.g. cleaners, inks), or materials are now

available - ask your supplier for information and opportunities for trials.

See Contacts section for more information.

34 waste

Please tick all the materials that are NOT reused or recycled.

Paper (generated during the printing process)

Paper (office waste paper)

Cardboard

Glass

Plastic

Plastic drums or containers

Plastic strapping

Shrink wrap or film

Pallets

Rags

Screens

Film

Plates

Ink

Silver

Steel

Aluminum

Oil

Pre-press chemicals

Solvents

Tyres

Batteries

Other

Reusing and recycling your waste will reduce the volumes of waste for disposal.You can:• Reuse your own waste or register your waste with a waste exchange service

(contact your local authority to join a waste exchange register)• Recycle your waste (contact RONZ for information

on recyclers in your area)• Ensure recycle bins are clearly labelled, staff are

informed and encouraged to recycle• Close the recycling loop by buying back recycled

or re-refined inks, solvents, paper, plastic, lubricating oil.

Save energy The simplest, cheapest and most obvious way to save energy is to turn off anything thatdoes not need to be on. All staff play a role as they have access to light switches,computers, water taps and company vehicles etc. Many of the changes have beneficialside effects, such as improving comfort, and health and safety in the workplace.

Check out options forsaving energy:

Measure energy use.• Record costs - a simple spreadsheet or graph can show cost patterns and trends.

Your energy supplier can provide you with good usage data.• Verify that you are on the best tariff. Talk to your energy supplier about options.

Maintenance (can save up to 25% of your bills)• Regular maintenance improves efficiency and provides safer, more pleasant

working environments.• Report and isolate problems as soon as they are noticed.• Track maintenance costs so that over time you will identify high maintenance

cost items, and be able to cost effectively manage your maintenance costs.

Lighting (Lighting uses 30 - 50% of the energy in office buildings)• Improve furniture location and office layout to maximise the use of daylight and

have lighting in areas where work is being undertaken.• Provide floor plans at banks of light switches showing the layout of lighting

circuits in the workspace, so employees can locate the appropriate switch fortheir lights.

• Switch off all unnecessary lights. Put up signs to remind staff.• Clean lamps, diffusers and fixtures regularly.• Replace low efficiency light sources with fluorescent, metal halide, or sodium

high efficiency fittings, or with New Generation Tri-Phosphor lamps for enhancedcolour rendition and increased light output.

• Investigate installing lighting sensors, controls and timers in intermittently usedareas such as storerooms and meeting rooms.

Building • Fit draught seals where necessary.• Make the most of natural daylight and natural ventilation. Open and close blinds

and curtains to control the amount of heat• Check that the top floor ceiling has at least 100mm of insulation.

Air-conditioning and heating

• Follow the operating and maintenance manuals of air conditioning equipment.• The use of personal heaters and fans, where heating systems exist, indicate

performance problems. Investigate under desk panel heaters with thermostatsand timers for staff with cold feet.

• Adjust time switches to activate the system only during the hours of occupation.• In summer, close shades when sun is on the windows and also at night in

preparation for the morning sun.• Clean filters as required - don’t install washable filters until completely dry.

energy 35

Hot water• Check for leaks and dripping taps.• Reduce water temperature to the recommended temperature (60ºC) if

capacity allows.• If you have long pipe runs, consider a local water heater.• Insulate electric cylinders and all hot water pipes. “If it’s hot to touch, insulate it”.• Fit low-flow taps and showerheads. Showers should use about 7 litres per

minute. i.e. it should take more than 5 seconds to fill a 2 litre container.

Office equipment• Switch off all equipment when not in use. Include: computers, photocopiers and

printers. This does not harm them. • Switch off your computer screen if away from your desk for more than

30 minutes.• Assign staff the responsibility of switching off all nonessential equipment

overnight and during weekends.• Specify energy efficient models when purchasing office equipment. Include:

ENERGY STAR(tm) computers and equipment with shut down timers and “sleep” modes.

• Try a simple awareness campaign to encourage wise energy use.• Reward staff for good behaviour (e.g. turning off computers at the end of

the day)

The Staff Café • Turn off lights when not in use. • Don’t boil a full water heater for drinks if you only need a small amount of hot

water. Only heat what you need.• Defrost fridges regularly, check the temperature is set at 4ºC and check the door

seal is working correctly. • Keep the back of fridges well ventilated.• Use the dishwasher only when you have a full load. Rinse heavily soiled items

under the cold tap first.

For more information on energy efficiency contact EECA www.eeca.govt.nz

Beware of electricity Regularly make sure:• No broken plugs, sockets or switches• No frayed or damaged leads - ensure six monthly safety ID tag check is carried out• Portable power-tools in good condition• No temporary leads on floor - always runs leads around walls or through ducts or

locate a plug near the activity• Emergency shut-down procedures in place• No strained leads• Circuit breakers/ automatic cut-offs installed

36 energy

Reduce air emissions Some printing activities affect the quality of air in your premises and also contribute tothe bigger problems of regional and even global air pollution and to ill health.

Causes of air pollution:• Dust (particularly from paper)• Fumes (including volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) from solvents, inks,

adhesives and some glues)• Gases or smoke• Exhaust emissions from vehicles

Check out the options for reducing air emissions• Work with suppliers to reduce the VOC content in inks and solvents.• Look for products that have third party environmental labels, which outline

the environmental aspect of the product.• Keep all containers sealed when not in use to limit evaporation,

dehydration, and to prevent excessive odours and loss of materials• Avoid exposure and risk of accidents and spills by storing solvents in a

covered container with a tap.• Keep storage area ventilated.• Use a wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner to reduce dust movement and improve

cleaning efficiency• Place dust in a covered container and dispose of through commercial waste

collection.• It is generally against the law to burn rubbish - including paper, rags, and

ink soaked paper. Contact your Council if you have difficulty disposing ofparticular wastes.

• Vehicles are a major contributor to air pollution in urban areas.• Join GreenFleet to reduce pollution from vehicles.

• Tune and maintain your vehicles regularly• Plant trees to offset vehicle emissions• Support alternative fuels and forms of transport

Note:If you have air pollution control equipment (cyclones, scrubbers, filters etc) you mustregularly check equipment for leaks, (gas, liquid), holes, dust, or rust, or as specifiedin the conditions on your discharge permit

air 37

Conserve water

38 water

The simplest, cheapest and most obvious way to conserve water is to prevent leaks. All staffplay a role by monitoring dripping taps, cisterns etc. Many of the changes have beneficialside effects, such as reducing energy use.

Investigate the following options for conserving water.Reduce wastage• Establish a leak detection programme• Repair minor leaks and prioritise list of major leak repairs (valves, pipes or seals)

Reuse water• Identify areas where water is discharged as waste after a single or a few uses.

Determine whether the quality of this wastewater is adequate for reuse in otherareas; cooling water or washing.

Operational• Examine all daily operations - especially labour intensive ones where potential for

reduction may be easiest to find i.e. hoses left on with clean water running down drains.

• Determine if plant or equipment can be modified or upgraded to reduce waste,spillage or leaks. See if new systems use less water.

In and around your offices.In the kitchen• If you have a dishwasher use the rinse and hold setting instead of

pre-rinsing dishes. • Save on electricity costs by washing dishes at night

In the washroom• Install a dual flush toilet or a gismo. In small businesses a flush control device

could save you over 40,000 litres per year.• Check for water leaks. A leaking toilet can waste up to 16,000 litres of water a

year. By putting a little food colouring in the cistern you can see if water isleaking into the bowl - if it is get it repaired.

• When buying dishwashing machines check out water and energy efficiency ratings.

In the garden• Water plants and grass in the morning, or late evening to minimise evaporation• A lawn soaks up more water per square meter than any other area in your

garden - so why not plant native trees or shrubs instead.

Replace hazardoussubstances withless hazardousalternatives

Vegetable oil based inksVegetable oil based inks save valuable resources. There are a number of cost and qualitycomparable options around. Many are very effective on papers which have a tendency topick such as recycled papers.

Vegetable cleaning agentsVegetable cleaning agents (VCA’s) are virtually free of volatile organic solvents (VOC). Theyare produced from vegetable oils such as rapeseed, sunflower and soya oils. True VCA’s arenot toxic to humans – however some VCA products may be incorrectly labelled so alwaysrefer to the MSDS. Check they meet toxicological and environmental standards, have beensatisfactorily trialled by printers and do not appear to create technical problems.

Printing without alcoholFountain solutions traditionally contain high levels of VOC. e.g. IPA. Alternatives toIsopropyl alcohol (IPA) are available and reduce VOC emissions.

Direct imagingDirect imaging is the print technology of the future. It is waterless, cost effective, andrequires almost no chemicals (notably prepress chemicals)

FinishesWater based varnishes. Aqueous or water based varnishes are now available.

Ecologically produced papersThere is now a variety of quality recycled and chlorine free papers on the market. Both pre-consumer (waste paper from the production process is recycled back into the process priorto reaching the consumer) and post-consumer (waste paper is collected from the consumerfor recycling back into waste paper – e.g. from the kerbside recycling collection) recycledgrades are available.Note: Customers with environmental criteria will prefer the post-consumer recycled andchlorine free options.

less hazardous alternatives 39

Employers must ensure employees are either sufficiently experienced to do their work safely orare supervised by an experienced person. In addition employees must be adequately trained inthe safe use of equipment, including protective clothing and equipment.

The following elements should be incorporated in training of new staffHealth and Safety• Information about hazards - including hazardous substances (i.e. interpreting the

label on a solvent or cleaner)• Information on using machines or substances (i.e. work practices or procedures to

use, control measures in place.)• Information on personal health and safety (ie. correct fit of protective clothing or

equipment; monitoring requirements; any health surveillance; note potential routes ofexposure for a hazardous substance and identify ways of limiting that exposure)

• Emergency procedures (i.e. first aid and emergency reporting; procedures in case ofnatural or human made emergency)

Environmental• A site audit to point out stormwater drains and other housekeeping areas.• Discussion on spills plan and procedures.• Procedures for recycling or minimisation of waste, energy efficiency or water

conservation procedures etc.The effectiveness of training programmes should be checked afterwards to ensure employeesunderstand and can apply their knowledge. These could be written or practical tests.

The bottom line....

Under HSE legislation employers havethe responsibility to ensure thatemployees exposed to substanceshazardous to health are adequatelytrained. Under RMA every person maybe responsible for an illegal activitysuch as a spill.

Induction training

Records should be kept of competencies gained by employees through training. This allows forrefresher training to be programmed in and will assist in ensuring a match with tasks and skills.

Training should be designed to:• Draw on employees’ knowledge and experience;• Take into account literacy levels and language barriers• Be practical and include hands-on training

Ongoing training

1.7STAFF TRAINING IN HEALTH,

SAFETY AND THEENVIRONMENT

40 training

With the annual HS&E programme developed budgets should be allocated appropriately toensure work can be done. The following should be considered:• A HS & E action list directly linked to budgets. • Savings should be reflected in the accounts.• Incentives should be considered for staff, e.g. to reduce waste. • Any financial, environmental or H&S gains should be communicated to staff,

directors and managers.

continual improvement 41

1.8ALLOCATEBUDGETS

Suppliers are critical in helping you reduce waste, to provide and trial low toxicity products. There are a number of ways of gaining support from suppliers:• Develop contractual agreements, or purchasing agreements (e.g. to take back empty

containers).• Investigate suppliers who promote or support good HS&E management.• In the case of contractors you may wish to set up a formal monitoring or auditing

procedure to ensure quality of service etc

Customers can find out about what you do by:• Promotional materials/ company newsletters/ media• Presentations to local authority waste management or business support sections.• Information being added to printed products, materials or quotations for work• The provision of additional services (e.g. taking back packaging/ providing mineral oil

free inks/ recycled papers etc)• Always working with customers to ‘get it right the first time’• Implementing a visitor and employee induction programme to inform new-comers of

your work• Talking to schools, community organisations etc

1.9INFORM

CUSTOMERSAND SUPPLIERS

Produce an annual self-auditing programme - record improvements over timeExplore other systems for your company, e.g.• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System)• Q-Base• Environmental Choice Label on your products• EMAS (Environmental Management and Auditing System)Produce an annual environmental, health and safety progress report. You may wish to employan independent, competent auditor to assess your programme and your successes.

1.10COMMIT TOCONTINUAL

IMPROVEMENT

Summary:

The Press, Christchurch

2

Business profile:

The Christchurch City Council Target Zero waste minimisation programme helped The Pressidentify areas in which improvements could be made to procedures and practices andcontributed to savings of around $50,000 per annum.

The Press produces the South Islands largest daily newspaper, employing 440 staff.

Type of projects: A. Reduction in product waste.B. Colour ink waste reduction.C. Reducing energy costs.D. Diverting waste from landfill.

Reasons for the projects: The Press joined the Target Zero programme in early 1999 because it was recognised as anopportunity to improve environmental performance and save on production costs. Initially theteam believed that their recycling systems were sufficient and there would therefore be fewopportunities to reduce waste. However, adopting the cleaner production approach has helpedstaff and management at The Press to identify some deficiencies in their practices andprocedures that were environmentally unfriendly and detrimental to the company’s bottom line.

The projects: A. Paper Waste ReductionDescription: The Press identified paper waste as one of the main components of their

solid waste. Further investigation determined that much of this paper wastewas being created prior to, or during loading of the paper rolls onto thepress. The reasons for the waste were procedural or due to damage of therolls.The solutions have been simple and involved a change in procedure in thepaper reel handling area and the implementation of a checking system todetermine when, where and how rolls are damaged. The Press arecontinuing to work with staff and suppliers to reduce or eliminate this waste.

42 case studies

CASESTUDIES

Economic Benefit: Paper waste has been reduced by approx 33 tonnes per annum, with asaving of $35,500 per annum in raw material costs.

Other Benefits: In addition to economic benefits this project means less handling of rawmaterials and waste material - in fact 33 rolls per year that don’t have tobe transported, handled, loaded onto the press and removed as waste.

B. Colour Ink Waste ReductionDescription: Measuring and recording ink waste revealed that when changing the

200kg colour ink drums there was always 4kgs of ink remaining in thebottom. After offering a solution to the supplier, which was thenaccepted by their parent company in USA, The Press are be able torecover and use the residue.

Economic Benefit: With approximately 240 drums of coloured ink being used per year thesaving is around $10,000 per annum and a reduction in ink waste of 4.8drums per annum.

Other Benefits: The drums will be free of ink and reusable diverting them from the landfill.

C. Compressed Air ReductionDescription: Monitoring and recording the compressor system identified that air

leaks were causing the compressor to automatically come on whenmachinery wasn’t in operation, and to work overtime when it was.

Economic Benefit: Repairing the leaks saves The Press $15,000 per annum in electricity alone.

D. Diverting Waste from Landfill.Description: An initial skip audit revealed waste was being sent to landfill that could

be either reused or recycled. Procedures were established to ensuregreater reuse and recycling of waste, with noticeable differences towaste disposal. A second audit revealed any deficiencies or new areasto be looked at.

Economic Benefit: The volume of solid waste disposed of to landfill was reduced by 50%saving $8,500 per annum with potential for further reduction.

Other Benefits: The environmental benefits of this project come from greater utilisationof resources and from a 50% reduction in the volume of solid wastegoing to landfill.The projects have been a great team building exercise, requiringcommunication across shifts.

For additional information contact:Jim Meek The PressPrivate Bag 4722ChristchurchTelephone (03) 379 0940Fax (03) 364 8496

case studies 43

NorcrossManagement& Marketing

Business profile:

The Waitakere City Council Cleaner Production programme helped Norcross Management &Marketing identify areas to improve worker health and safety, as well as the environment.Significant savings were achieved as a result of this work.

Norcross Management & Marketing are based in Henderson, Auckland and employ over 100staff and service clients throughout New Zealand.

Type of projects: • Reduction in solvent and chemicals• Waste reduction.• Changes in management procedures.• Offering customers an environmental alternative.

Reduction in solventsand chemicals:

Norcross worked closely with suppliers to find solvents and chemicals that were safer for staffto use and less harmful for the environment without compromising quality or cost. A number ofchanges resulted in reduction of hazardous waste, decreased liability issues, improved productinventory systems and produced significant cash savings.• Norcross has reduced the use of IPA to between 4-5%. IPA is chilled to prevent

evaporation and stored in a closed unit attached to the presses.• Rags, once sent to landfill, are now collected for recycling by the supplier. This has

resulted in a 50% reduction in cost.• Norcross use mineral oil free inks (removing heavy metals or petroleum based

materials). Old inks or end of line inks are remanufactured into ‘in-house black’ ink. • A new spraying unit fixed onto the presses uses one third of the original

spray powder.

Waste reduction: A number of initiatives have been implemented to reduce waste to landfill by 50%. • Segregation of waste including: paper and cardboard, ink cans, used rags, are

collected by recycling contractors. Rags are returned for reuse. Aluminium plates arecollected separately for recycling, as are wooden pallets.

• By reusing make-ready sheets Norcross was able to reduce waste at this stage ofproduction by 75%.

• Plastic containers and spent solvent are returned to suppliers for safe disposal.

Changes in management procedures Norcross have been successful with their programme because of the adoption of formalprocedures. e.g.• A formal procedure is in place, which assesses and benchmarks all areas of work

in an effort to reduce wastage. Errors are recorded and investigated and training provided.

• Norcross suppliers conduct a weekly stock-take of all chemistry and inks. Thisreduces the amount of stock loss and ensures that there is always adequate stock on hand.

• An energy audit conducted in 1996 resulted in the establishment of an effectiveenergy-monitoring system, which combined with a plant redesign resulted insubstantial savings of $20,000 per annum.

44 case studies

Offering customers an environmentalalternative:

Norcross recognise the importance of a good relationship with their customers and offerclients a number of incentives to remain loyal. • Electronic ordering systems allow for ‘to-the-minute’ stock counts, they supply

historical data, as well as the ability to reorder stock as they run low. The systemcan assist clients to maintain their own Cleaner Production programmes.

• Norcross offer an environmental alternative to customers. This includesinformation and pricing for environmental papers (recycled or chlorine free),mineral oil free inks, design tips which minimise waste and costs.

Contact: Clive Young - Operations ManagerPhilip Norcross - Managing DirectorNorcross Management & MarketingPO Box 21-101, HendersonTelephone (09) 837 2593 Fax (09) 837 1624

case studies 45

3ARE YOU

IN COMPLIANCE

The main pieces oflegislation to be aware of are:

Health & Safety LegislationHealth & Safety in Employment (HSE) Act The Health & Safety in Employment Act places a general responsibility on employers to provide asafe working environment for employees, including the development of procedures for dealing withemergencies.

Hazardous Substances LegislationThe Dangerous Goods Act & Toxic Substances Act Both of these Acts have now been revoked but may still be mentioned in documents. The DangerousGoods Act classifies substances according to their physical properties, such as their flash point(flammability) and vapour pressure (volatility). The Toxic Substances legislation classifies substancesaccording to their toxic properties that is, generally according to their effects on human health.

The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act HSNO is the major legislation controlling the import, manufacture, use, handling and storage ofhazardous substances in New Zealand. For information on start-up dates, contact ERMA...seecontacts section. Until then the Dangerous Goods and Toxic Substances Regulations remain in force.

Environmental Legislation The Resource Management Act (RMA)The RMA is the main piece of legislation addressing the environment in New Zealand. The keypurpose of the Act is to promote sustainable management of natural and physical resources, and itdoes so by controlling the effects of activities rather than the activities themselves. Trade waste maybe covered by a separate by-law; contact your local Council or drainage authority to find out aboutrequirements for discharging to the sewer.

We recommend printers formally adopt health, safety and environment plans in order to benefit from:

• A better company image• Long-term cost savings• Reduced potential for penalties under legislation.• Improved health, safety and environmental conditions for everyone.• Appeal to staff, customers as well as central and local government!

To stay ahead of legislation adopt an Industry standard or guideline like this!

There are a number of Acts in place in New Zealand, which aim to protect the health & safety ofpeople as well as that of the environment. The good news is that most of the legislation is inter-related and can be incorporated into any Health Safety & Environment Management Plan.

46 compliance

Health & Safety inEmployment (HSE) Act1992

Responsibility ofemployers

Responsibility ofemployees

Helpful tips

The Health & Safety in Employment (HSE) Act places a general responsibility on employersto provide a safe working environment for employees, including the development ofprocedures for dealing with emergencies which may occur at work, e.g. a chemical spill.

Employers must have in place effective methods for systematically identifying hazards atwork (including chemical hazards) and must effectively control any significant hazards sothat they cannot become a source of harm.

Employers must provide all employees with information about any hazardous substancethey use in the workplace including procedures to prevent the likelihood of harm. MaterialSafety Data Sheets (MSDS’s) are the usual accepted form of information on chemicals. Alsoread the product labels and make sure that if containers are reused they are labelled tocorrectly indicate what substances they contain.

All employees working with chemicals must be adequately trained in their safe use.

Employers must ensure that employees have the opportunity to be fully involved in thedevelopment of workplace health and safety procedures.

The employee has a right to all information about monitoring that relates to their part of theworkplace, especially personal health monitoring.

The employee has a duty to protect their own safety while at work and to ensure that noaction or inaction on their part harms any other person.

• Employers must ensure that any indoor air contaminant (e.g. solvent vapour fromcleaning products) is not a source of harm.

• Employers must provide any work area with either fresh or purified air and themeans to control atmospheric conditions, such as temperature and humidity.

• Personal protective equipment must comply with approved standards, adequatelyfit the users, be well maintained and correctly stored. It is important to select theproper glove required when handling chemicals such as cleaners and inks.

health & safety 47

What are the DangerousGoods Act (1974) & ToxicSubstances Act (1979)?

Work hazards

Helpful tips

The Dangerous Goods Act classifies substances according to their physical properties, suchas their flash point (flammability) and vapour pressure (volatility). Organic solvents such astoluene and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) are examples of volatile, flammable liquids that have lowflash points. That means, at temperatures well below room temperatures, these liquids willreadily give off vapours that will burn.

The Toxic Substances legislation classifies substances according to their toxic propertiesthat is, generally according to their effects on human health.

The essential provisions of these two Acts are incorporated into the HSNO Act 1996.However regulations made under both of these Acts will continue to be in force until newreplacement regulations are drafted under HSNO Act.

Many substances in the workshop, such as organic solvents, will be included in both theDangerous Goods & Toxic Substances legislation. For example white spirits may be aphysical hazard if vapour burns or explodes, and a chemical hazard if the liquid is ingested(swallowed) or absorbed through the skin, or the vapour is inhaled (breathed in).

• City or District Council Dangerous Goods Inspectors provide advice on licensing,handling, storage and use of substances such as flammable liquids (e.g. toluene& IPA)

• Use of hazardous substances in all work processes requires approval for zoningof hazardous areas. Special precautions may need to be taken with possibleignition sources such as light fittings or power outlets.

• A Hazardous Substances Dangerous Goods Declaration, or equivalent documentshould accompany transportation of Dangerous Goods. Transport documents arenot Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS’s). A complete, up-to-date MSDS foreach substance in use should be provided by the supplier and referred to at thework site.

• Toxic Substances legislation includes requirements for labelling substances thathave been classified as Poisonous or Harmful Substances. Specific advice onlabel requirements, including first aid information, can be obtained from yourHealth Authority Public Health Protection section.

48 dangerous goods

The HazardousSubstances and NewOrganisms Act 1996(HSNO Act)

The HSNO Regulations

Controls on hazardoussubstances

Hazardous substancescontrols are divided into

Who enforces HSNO?

What is the Hazardous Substances & New Organisms Act?The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO Act) was passed in June1996. The purpose of the Act is to protect the environment and safeguard public health bypreventing or managing any harmful effects of hazardous substances and new organisms.

The Act takes a “cradle to grave” approach and allows the setting of controls on howsubstances are contained, labelled, stored, used, transported or disposed of. It puts an endto the Explosives Act 1957, Dangerous Goods Act 1974, Toxic Substances Act 1979, andPesticides Act 1979 bringing the control of all hazardous substances under a single piece oflegislation.

Sets of regulations are developed by the Ministry for the Environment and detail how tocomply with the HSNO Act. Regulations for classifying hazardous substances are doneaccording to how hazardous a substance is based on each hazardous property.

A substance is only considered ‘hazardous’ if it crosses a certain ‘threshold’ set down underthese regulations. For example:• A solvent is hazardous if it has a flash point of less than or equal to 93ºC• A cleaner is hazardous if it is toxic to humans or to the environment.

Once a substance is classified as ‘hazardous’ it is given a set of controls detailing how tomanage it over its entire life cycle (from its production or importation through to its use anddisposal). The more hazardous the substance, the stricter will be the controls.

• Controls on their hazardous properties; (toxic, corrosive, or eco-toxic substances orflammable, explosive or oxidising substances) and;

• Life cycle controls, (including new regulations for packaging and containment, labelling,signage, and safe handling information. Disposal, emergency preparedness, competencyof staff, and tracking for highly hazardous substances).

HSNO will be enforced by agencies such as OSH, Land Transport Safety Authority, LocalAuthorities, and the Ministry of Agriculture. Non-compliance with HSNO controls is anoffence under the HSNO Act and penalties do apply.

Everyone involved in importing, manufacturing, or using hazardous substances needs to beaware of and comply with relevant HSNO controls.

hazardous substances 49

How will the HSNO Actaffect the printingindustry?

Impact on new andexisting hazardoussubstances

Helpful tips

HSNO promotes voluntary and mandatory methods for ensuring compliance.

HSNO promotes individual responsibility, encouraging businesses to adopt preventativesystems for managing hazardous substances, for example a Health, Safety andEnvironmental Management programme. Additionally the Act promotes the development ofapproved ‘Codes of Practice’ and the preparation of ‘Standards and Guidelines’ by industry.An approved ‘Code’ can be used as a defence to any legal action under the HSNO Act.

Some controls on hazardous substances will require independent verification. In this casean approved, independent certifier checks and verifies compliance. Test certificates areissued only when compliance is achieved.

New hazardous substances manufactured or brought into the country for the first timerequire approval from the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA).

For existing hazardous substances it will be “business as usual”. Hazardous substancescontrolled by existing legislation will, over a three-year period, be transferred to the newregime. During this time these substances will be assessed, classified and assigned controlsaccording to the HSNO classification and control regulations. Printers who are usingexisting hazardous substances and are in compliance with the existing legislation willgenerally be in compliance with HSNO requirements, as part of the process of transferringsubstances into the new regime will involve taking into account the existing controls.

The best way to avoid the legal, health, safety and environmental impacts associated withhazardous substances is to eliminate or reduce use of them. Manufacturers and suppliers ofprinting products are now producing less or non-hazardous products and offeringalternatives such as vegetable cleaning agents (VCA’s), non-aromatic cleaners and mineraloil free inks.

If products trigger any of the hazardous property thresholds and are new to the country,they require an application for approval. There is provision for a lower cost “rapidassessment” application for substances which are of significantly lower hazard.

50 hazardous substances

What is the ResourceManagement Act?(1991)

Who administers theRMA?

When might you needconsent?

Helpful tips

The Act makes every individual responsible, from company directors to staff, for avoiding,remedying or mitigating adverse effects of their own activities from unduly harming theenvironment. A person found responsible for polluting can be personally liable and may begiven fines or even imprisonment.

Regional Councils are responsible for managing water and beds of water; controlling thedischarge of contaminants; land use effects of regional significance. They develop RegionalPolicy Statements and Plans which state how they will manage these areas.

City or District Councils are responsible for the control of land use (subdivisions) and thecontrol of surface rivers and lakes. They develop District plans that specify activitiesincluding requirements for resource consents, and the type and category required.

If you do any of the following activities you should contact both your Regional and City orDistrict Council for advice.

• Take or discharge water from a natural source (stream, ground water)• Discharge any contaminant into or onto the ground or water, into air or land.• Have a noisy operation

If you are not sure check with your Council to see if you do require consent

Everyone is responsible.Under the RMA it is everyone’s responsibility to avoid, remedy or mitigate anyenvironmental effects of your operation. Individuals as well as company directors can beheld liable for an offence to the Act.

We recommend, as a minimum, that employers:• Conduct routine site audits or inspections.• Have a tidy site.• Have a spill plan and adopt procedures for other high-risk activities.• Train staff in environmental issues and practices.• Adopt a Health, Safety and Environment Management Plan.

resource management 51

Trade Waste Bylaw

Ask yourself...

Trade waste is defined as any waste that is discharged into the sanitary sewer for treatmentand disposal. Some printers have dedicated sewer lines for their trade waste, which hookinto the area’s main sanitary sewer.

• Do you need a trade waste permit?• How much trade waste do you generate per annum?• How much does it cost you?• Is your trade waste discharged to the sewer or removed by a contractor?

• The health and safety of sewer and treatment plant workers• The integrity of the sewer system and the waste treatment plant• The environments where the treated wastewater and sludge are disposed of• To ensure you pay a fair share of the cost of treating and disposing of

your wastes

If you have a trade waste permit you must comply with the conditions and maintain anytreatment systems you have, to avoid damaging sewers or causing overflows into theenvironment.

If your trade waste is not suitable for disposal to the sewer:• Call your drainage authority to find out what its by-laws say.• Contract a responsible waste operator who will dispose of your waste at a

licensed treatment and/or disposal facility (you may have to pre-treat some wastes).If you wish to treat and dispose of your trade waste, you will need a resourceconsent from your local or regional council.

52 trade waste

Trade Waste permitsprotect:

Helpful tip

contacts 53

Sustainability and Environmental Organisations

Auckland Environmental Rachel Brown PO Box 60-575, www.aebn.pl.netBusiness Network (09)817 2622 Titirangi, office@aebn.pl.net(GreenFleet) Auckland

Bay of Plenty Jennifer PO Box 414, www.ebn.co.nz Environmental Business Pearson Tauranga jennifer.zest@xtra.co.nzNetwork (07)577 9823

BusinessCare Trust Peter Crosland PO Box 11-595, peterc@businesscare.org.nz(04)801 9162 Wellington021 888 126

Environmental Choice Melissa Private Bag 28908, marseneault@ianz.govt.nzNew Zealand Arseneault Remuera

(09)525 6655

New Zealand Business Rodger Spiller office@nzbcsd.org.nzCouncil for Sustainable (09)Development

Sustainable Cities Trust Paul Honeybone PO Box 4490, www.sustcities.org.nz(03)377 8566 Christchurch 8001 trust@sustcities.org.nz

The Natural Step (03)325 2418 PO Box 69, www.naturalstep.org.nzEnvironment Lincoln 8152, natstep@naturalstep.org.nzFoundation Canterbury

Waikato Environmental 0800 00WEBN www.ebn.co.nzBusiness Network PO Box 4272,

Hamilton east,Hamilton

Energy, Water, Waste & Recycling Operations

Energy Efficiency (04) 470 2200 PO Box 388, www.energywise.co.nz & Conservation WellingtonAuthority

Recycling Operators Karuna Douglas PO Box 331695, ronz@pl.netof New Zealand (09) 488 9449 Takapuna, Auckland For copies of the

recycling Guide

Waste Management Carole Inglis PO Box 35 238, wasteminz@xtra.co.nzInstitute of New Zealand (09) 486 6722 Browns Bay,

Auckland

Zero Waste Sunshine Yates PO Box 33 1695, www.zerowaste.co.nzNew Zealand (09) 486 0738 Takapuna,

Auckland

4CONTACTS

54 contacts

Government Bodies

ERMA New Zealand Ph (04) 496 4852 PO Box 131, www.ermanz.govt.nzFax (04) 473 8433 Wellington www.hsno.govt.nz

Local Councils (See local white pages)

Ministry for the (04) 917 7400 PO Box 10362, www.mfe.govt.nzEnvironment Wellington

Ministry of Health (04) 496 2000 PO Box 5013, www.moh.govt.nzWellington

Occupational (See white pages www.osh.dol.govt.nzSafety & Health for your OSH office)

Employment 0800 800 863Relations

Regional Councils(See local white Pages)

National Organisations

Business Forms Warren Johnson PO Box 30039 warren@printnz.co.nzAssociation 04 569 2110 LOWER HUTT

Flexible Packaging Alistair Rowe PO Box 76 378Association of MANUKAU CITYNew Zealand

Graphic Arts Ruth Cobb PO Box 98826 ruth@printnz.co.nzPrepress Federation 09 266 8523 SOUTH

AUCKLANDMAIL CENTRE

National Poisons 03 474 7000and HazardousChemicals InformationCentre

New Zealand 04 499 4311Chemical IndustryCouncil

New Zealand Mike Ward PO Box 31546, Mike.ward@epmunionEngineering, Printing 04 576 1171 Lower Hutt .org.nzand Manufacturing 04 576 1164Union

New Zealand Peter Rasmussen Private Bag Paperboard Packaging 92 066Association AUCKLAND

New Zealand 09 579 2880 Private Bag ,Safety Ltd 92 100

AUCKLAND 1.

Print Finishers Ruth Cobb PO Box 98826 ruth@printnz.co.nzAssociation 09 266 8523 SOUTH

AUCKLANDMAIL CENTRE

Printing & Allied Joan Grace PO Box 31 131 jgrace@paitc.co.nzIndustries Training 04 569 2804 Lower HuttCouncil

Printing Industries Warren Johnson PO Box 30039 warren@printnz.co.nzNew Zealand 04 569 2110 Lower Hutt

Printing, Packaging Thomas Cranney PO Box 30039& Publishing Education 04 569 2110 Lower HuttTrust Board

Self Adhesive Ruth Cobb PO Box 98826 ruth@printnz.co.nzLabel Manufacturers 09 266 8523 SOUTH Assn AUCKLAND

MAIL CENTRE

reference materials 55

Health & Safety PublicationsCodes of Practice Price Available fromApproved Code of Practice for the Management $20 Occupational Safetyof Substances Hazardous to Health (MOSHH) & Health officesin the place of work, 1997• A Practical Guide and Workbook for $30 for

Completing a MOSHH Assessment in complete pack Your Workplace.

• An introduction to the Guidelines for Workplace Health Surveillance

• Managing Hazardous Substances- A brief Guide for Employers

• Working Safely with Hazardous Substances- Advice for Employees

• MOSHH posterApproved Code of Practice for the Management $10 Occupational Safety of Noise in the Workplace, 1996 & Health officesApproved Code of Practice for Safety and Health $10 Occupational Safetyin the Manufacture of Paint, Printing Inks & Health officesand Resins, 1993Approved Code of Practice for the Safe Use of $10 Occupational Safety Visual Display Units. & Health officesApproved Code of Practice for Safe Use of VDU’s $20 for Occupational Safety A Summary of the Approved Code of Practice for complete & Health officesSafe Use of VDU’s packChecklists for the use of VDU’s in the Place of WorkHow to use your VDU SafelyWhen you use your VDU, are you comfortable?

Codes of Practice Price Available fromGuidelines for the preparation of Material Safety Occupational SafetyData Sheets in New Zealand and Health office

www.osh.dol.govt.nzEducation and Training Resources Price Available fromAn aid to making HSE Act Work in $40 Occupational SafetyYour Businesss - Kiwi 3-Step - Video and Health office

www.osh.dol.govt.nzNoise - Management of Noise Resources Kit, $120 CNS only1997Guidelines Price Available fromA Guide to the Health and $20 Occupational SafetySafety Employment Act 1992 (Pub 2000) (Or free from & Health offices

website) www.osh.dol.govt.nzGuidelines for the Guarding Principles and $10 Occupational SafetyGeneral Safety for Machinery and Health office

www.osh.dol.govt.nzThe A to Z book of Bright Ideas for Promoting Occupational SafetyHealth & Safety - and Health office

www.osh.dol.govt.nzBasic Steps to Health and Safety, Pub 2000 $4 Occupational Safety

and Health officewww.osh.dol.govt.nz

Practical Guidelines for the Safe Use of $10 Occupational SafetyOrganic Solvents and Health office

www.osh.dol.govt.nzManual Handling Guidelines for the Workplace Occupational Safety

and Health officewww.osh.dol.govt.nz

Stress & Fatigue - Their Impact on Health $20.00 Occupational Safety and Safety in the Workplace, 1998 and Health office

www.osh.dol.govt.nz

REFERENCEMATERIALS

56 reference materials

Industry Based PublicationsReference Materials Price Available fromSafety and Health Guidelines for the $30 Ron HalewoodScreen Printing Industry Ph: 09 418 1493

Fax: 09 418 1491

Environment PublicationsReference Materials Price Available fromEnvironmental Operations Plan - 1998 The Auckland Booklet Regional Council ChecklistsWall PlannerPosters Fish Stencil for stormwater drainsRecycling Guide, (update) 2001 Recycling Operators

of New Zealand(RONZ)

Resource Exchange Network for Eliminating Tne Auckland RegionalWaste (Auckland Only) CouncilEnergy Wise Practice Folder Energy Efficiency and

Conservation Authority (EECA)

Environmental Choice Inks Specifications Environmental ChoiceNew Zealand

Guidelines for Green Printing - for print Free Waitakere City Councilpurchasers, 1998 AucklandGreen Office Guide, 2002 Auckland Environmental

Business Network

Printed on Works Offset 100% recycled paper, using mineral oil free inks.