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RELIEF PRINTING SAFETY
By Angela Babin, M.S., Michael McCann, Ph.D., C.I.H.,
and Devora Neumark
Relief Printing
Relief printing techniques include woodcuts, linoleum cuts and
acrylic plates for plaster relief. These techniques involve the
cutting away of plate areas that are not to be printed. Relief
inks can be oil-based or water-based.
Hazards
- Some woods used for woodcuts can cause skin irritation and/or
allergies. This is particularly true of tropical hardwoods. See
CSA’s data sheet on woodworking for more detailed information. - Accidents involving sharp tools can result in cuts.
- Wood carving and cutting tools can cause carpel tunnel syndrome.
This was discussed earlier in the section that included drypoint
and mezzotint. - Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) is sometimes used for etching
linoleum. It can cause skin burns and severe eye damage if
splashed in the eyes. - Eating, drinking or smoking while printing can result in
accidental ingestion of pigments. - Hazardous solvents are used in stopouts and resists in linoleum
etching, and for cleaning up after printing with oil-based inks.
See Solvents section for more information on the hazards of
solvents.
Precautions - Obtain the MSDS for all materials used.
- See Acids and Solvents sections for precautions with acids and
solvents. - Children under the age of 12 should not be doing woodcuts
because of the tool hazards. Linocuts using heat-softened linoleum
and water-based inks can be used with older children. - Water-based inks are preferable to oil-based inks since solvents
are not needed. - Use dilution ventilation (e.g. window exhaust fan) when applying
resists for linoleum plates. - Wear appropriate gloves, goggles and protective apron when
handling caustic soda. - An emergency shower and eyewash fountain should be available. If
the chemical is spilled on your skin, wash with lots of water. In
case of eye contact, rinse the eyes with water for at least l5-20
minutes and contact a physician. - Vacuum or mop up all wood dust so as to diminish inhalation of
wood dust. - Always cut in a direction away from you, with your free hand on
the side or behind the hand with the tool. - Carpel tunnel syndrome can be minimized or avoided by using
tools with wide handles, avoiding tight grips, and rest periods
with hand flexing exercises. Linoleum cutting is softer to work,
and thus can reduce musculoskeletal injury.