Post - Pre-press print technician

Health and safety regulations. Health and Safety at Work Act – responsibilities. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH). Due diligence. Emergency evacuation procedures. Isolation and emergency stop procedures. Lone working. Management systems of occupational health and safety ISO 45001. Manual handling. Near miss reporting. Noise regulation. Provision and use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER). Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). Risk assessments. Safe systems of work. Safety equipment: guards, signage, fire extinguishers. Situational awareness. Slips, trips and falls. Types of hazards. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Working at height. Working in confined spaces.

Environmental and sustainability regulations and guidance. Environmental hazards that can arise from printing operations. Waste management systems. Environmental Protection Act. Environmental signage and notices. Types of pollution and control measures: noise, smells, spills, and waste. Environmental permits. Hazardous waste regulations.

Principles of sustainability. Energy efficiency and reuse of materials. Recycling procedures. Principles of control. Disposal of waste. Efficient use of resources.

The printing and graphic communication industry. Types of printing. Types of products. Supply chain. Customers. Customer requirements. Impacts on product demand.

Printing technician’s role. Scope of responsibility. Company escalation procedures.

Printing industry organisations: their work, culture, values and production processes.

Company processes and equipment: Pre-press, press and post-press.

Continuous improvement principles and techniques.

Problem solving principles and techniques.

Workflow management systems, communications systems and how they are impacted by General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Verbal communication techniques. Giving and receiving information. Matching style to audience. Barriers in communication and how to overcome them. Printing industry terminology.

Written communication techniques. Plain English principles. Printing terminology.

Principles of team working and equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Planning, prioritising and time management.

Documentation methods and requirements, electronic or paper.

Finishing materials and properties including adhesives, laminates, and chemicals.

Sheet conversion techniques.

Folding types including parallels, gatefolds, barn door flap folds, and letter folds (wrap folds) and benefits or constraints of one type of fold over another.

Post-press equipment preparation and operation.

Post-press printing process methods and techniques.

Finishing techniques.

Post-press quality assurance requirements and monitoring processes.

Packing processes.

Conversion of source materials to finished product techniques.

Process risks in post-press. Defect types and causes.

Post-press maintenance practices and techniques: planned, preventative and predictive methods, frequency and reactive activities.

Output or production of image carrier creation techniques and application: print-ready electronic files, plate, cylinder or screen.

Colour theory and application.

Digital file types and impact on sending including print-ready PDFs, databases or work flow management and colour and ink profile files.

Digital files: receipt, checking and processing techniques.

Imposition scheme and job layout creation techniques.

Software relating to product design and output.

Digital artwork: design and production techniques for printing.

Colour profiles: setting techniques.

Pre-press equipment application and operation.

Pre-press quality assurance requirements and monitoring processes.

Process risks in pre-press. Defect types and causes.

Press machine maintenance practices and techniques: planned, preventative and predictive methods, frequency and reactive activities.

Chemicals required for machine operations and their safe application.

Printing materials and properties: inks, toners, blankets, plates, cylinders.

Press printing process methods and techniques.

Press machinery and equipment preparation, operation, and limitations.

Digital press operation: Understanding when variable data is being output correctly and conducting checks, both manual and automated.

Press machinery shut down and hand over procedures.

Press quality assurance requirements and monitoring processes.

Process risks in press. Defect types and causes.

Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards for example, segregating resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.

Apply health and safety and manual handling procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.

Plan and prioritise work

Record or enter information - paper based or electronic for example, work sheets, check lists, handover records, job sheets.

Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.

Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.

Communicate with others verbally including colleagues or stakeholders.

Communicate in writing.

Apply problem-solving techniques to common problems.

Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.

Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.

Apply team working principles.

Set up finishing equipment for example, guillotines, stitching-trimming machinery, binding machinery, laminating equipment, die-cutters.

Operate finishing equipment to apply different finishing processes, for example, varnishing, folding, embossing and debossing, foil blocking, scoring, packing, gluing, match and attach, tab and slot, sorting, banding.

Prepare printing for next stage, including packing and wrapping.

Apply post-press equipment maintenance techniques including cleaning and servicing.

Apply post-press quality assurance procedures such as checking for folding accuracy, stitch alignment, foil position.

Apply safe systems of work to the finishing process in compliance with regulations, standards and guidelines, including the handling and disposal of chemicals.

Convert customer files to print-ready files using software and workflow packages.

Check, process and transmit digital files using software.

Create and edit digital images.

Conversion of digital files into colour separations for the defined production method.

Apply digital techniques to produce a proof.

Apply colour profiles to the design.

Apply production techniques to produce plates, screens, or output files.

Apply pre-press quality assurance procedures.

Set up and check the multi-unit print press, including speeds, inks and toners and pre-printing quality checks.

Follow print press start up or warm up procedures.

Apply print press operations and techniques, including managing colour. Handle variable data on digital presses.

Follow quality control processes during printing, including checking for colour matching, print resolution, product consistency.

Apply press equipment and machinery maintenance techniques including cleaning and servicing.

Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, hand over procedures. Escalate issues.

Apply press quality assurance procedures.

Apply safe systems of work to the printing press process in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidelines. This should include identifying risks and hazards and the handling and disposal of chemicals.

Take personal responsibility for and promote health, safety, and wellbeing.

Consider the environment and sustainability.

Collaborate within teams, across disciplines and external stakeholders.

Committed to continued professional development (CPD) to maintain and enhance competence in their own area of practice.

Take responsibility for the quality of work.