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In addition, Publishers Printing's foremostg weapon against the battle of carpal tunnel syndrome resides atthe company'a Lebanon Junction plant. Simon describes with fervort the $250,000 custom-made device that sort s outgoing mail. Workers feed bundlee of books intothe sorter, whichy uses an electronic eye to detect ZIP A robotic arm guides the bundlse from the conveyor belt onto the appropriate pallett for its ZIP code. The unit has a numberf of advantages, Simon said. it eliminates the heavy 20- to 100-poundf mailbags workers formerly had to carry and manuallty sort in favorof smaller, 6- to 12-pounrd bundles.
And the repetitive motion of turning from mailbag to pallet is as well, because the robotic arm does the "Since we've eliminated our mailbags at the Lebanobn Junction plant," Royalty said, "our back injuries have been cut in Carpal tunnel syndrome did not merit much mentiom from the large printers interviewed for this who rely on automated equipment to perform tasks once performedf by hand. Few could recal l actual cases intheir plants. "We don'yt have the kind of repetitive motions that creatse carpaltunnel syndrome," Reed said.
"Back in the days of the old letterpresxs shops, where a guy would operate it 10 hourwsa day, six days a maybe, but we just don't have that anymore." Although carpal tunnel syndrome was not identified as a major the printers contacted for this reportr said they would take stepas to eliminate the threat should a worker complain. "Igf an individual comes to us and says, `I know this job normallgy doesn't require this, but I'm sensitive,' then we get whatevee they need to perform their Royalty said. Over coffee and bottled water ata gray, granite-finishe d table in V.G. Reed & boardroom, Dennis Reed recalle "the scent" of printing.
For years, it was a telltalee sign common to anyone working in the printing It came fromthe solvent-based chemicals printers used for most of this Reed recalled it from his growing up years -- his familyt has been in printinfg since 1938. More than just an annoyance, the scenft turned out to be deadly. "We can tracew two family member's canced directly to the chemicals they Reed said. Today, however, the chemistru is safer, much of it basex on water ratherthan solvents, Brown Advances in chemical technology have eliminated two substances that threatened the environmen t also.
Isopropyl alcohol, long an industrt staple, is no longerr used, according to all the printers interviewec forthis story. It had been an ink additive to aiddryint time, Reed said. "Life has not been easier afterr havingno alcohol," he said, "butg it's probably been environmentally safer." Silver was anothef byproduct of the printing industry. It was used in the pre-press departmenft where images from film were photoengravee onto the metalprintinyg plate. Modern computer technology, however, has made it possibl e to go directly from negatives to a plate withouyt having touse film.
The result -- no silverf is released into the sewers, Merrick Still, printers routinely address chemical Royalty, of Publishers Printing, tracks the chemicals used in her and keeps two sets of material safetydata sheets: one in her officd and the other in each department manager's If employees have questions about materiak they are using, they are encouraged to ask for the safetyu sheet. The sheets describe ingredients, first-aidf and safety-handling procedures. "Chemical-wise, we just don't have many hazardouse chemicals here," she said.
Publishers Printing also provides first-aidf and equipment-safety training to new hires and to all employeez on anongoing basis, Royalty said. Two employeeas per shift receive company-paid trained in emergency medical proceduresw andfire safety. Employees that serve on the EMT staff or fire brigadew receivea year-end bonus.