Using a laminator is a quick and easy way to give a professional finish to documents for presentation to clients at work. However, there are some safety considerations to keep in mind when using your laminator, whether it’s a simple office model or a professional industrial laminator. Industrial laminators are of course more dangerous due to having more exposed moving parts, but care should also be taken when using any laminator. With the handy safety tips detailed below, you can go ahead and confidently use your laminator in the office, knowing that you’re equipped with all the precautions you need.
What’s So Dangerous About a Laminator?
A laminator can be dangerous because it has moving parts as well as hot pieces of machinery that could burn you or start a fire if the paper is nearby. Additionally, things can get stuck or jammed inside a laminator. You might be tempted to try to force the jammed item out of the laminator, or you could forget to turn the laminator off before dealing with the stuck item. You could also get your fingers or hair stuck in the laminator, which can be very dangerous.
What Precautions Should I Take When Using a Laminator?
1. Tie Your Hair Back and Don’t Wear Loose Clothing
Whether you’re operating an industrial laminator or an office laminator at work, make sure your clothes are fairly tight so that there’s no risk of them getting caught in the machinery. Also make sure long hair is tied back, as the last thing you want is to get your hair caught in the laminator if you’re bending over to inspect it. Jewelry should also be removed before operating a laminator for similar reasons.
2. Guard All Moving Parts
If you’re using an industrial laminator, you must have guards over all moving parts to prevent hands, clothing, or hair from getting caught in the laminator and causing serious injury. Some office laminators also have covers that keep moving parts out of the way, but you still need to be wary of putting your fingers too close to the entry point of the laminate film.
3. Be Careful of Hot Parts When Clearing Jams
If your laminator jams, you’ll need to clear the build-up of laminate film and paper. But before you do, remember to turn off the laminator on the body of the machine and also by unplugging it from the power source − just so you can be sure it’s really turned off. When you’re clearing a block in your laminator, you might have to remove the cover. Be very careful about not touching any hot moving parts of the laminator, as they could cause burns.
In Conclusion
When you operate your laminator with these safety pointers in mind, you can enjoy an easy and convenient professional finish for all your business documents. Remember, laminators can be dangerous, but they don’t have to be. Take the right precautions and use your laminator with care and you should be fine.
