The Importance of Cardboard Baler Safety Training | QCR

Safety training is essential to ensure operators stay safe and avoid injuries whilst using recycling equipment within the workplace.

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Understanding Cardboard Baler Safety

There’s a lot to think about when installing a new cardboard baler at your business. Not only do you need to choose a location with the appropriate amount of safe working space around it, you also need to think about who will authorised to use it. Users will need to know the ins and outs of how to operate the machine as well as any important related general workplace safety policies and procedures.

Common Safety Hazards

Cardboard balers can pose many hazards which users need to be aware of so that accidents can be avoided. To make sure people know about them, they should be covered in detail during a thorough training session.

Some examples of problems that could arise if people ignore hazards include:

1. Back injuries can occur if people don’t lift bales in the correct way
2. Employees can fall over and hurt themselves if spillages and other obstructions aren’t dealt with before using the machine
3. Certain waste materials such as aerosol cans should not be placed into a baler as they can cause an explosion

The Key Cardboard Baler Safety Considerations

Most importantly, staff shouldn’t operate a baler without appropriate training. Everyone using it should know exactly how to operate it. Different machines have different operating procedures therefore it is important that users receive machine-specific training. For example, staff should know where to locate the key safety features of the machine such as the emergency stop button.

Some specific examples of company specific safety protocols include:

• Who they need to speak to if the machine develops a fault
• How they can request refresher training
• Where they can purchase baler consumables

The machine manual for the machine should be stored in an accessible prominent place to enable users to consult it.

Baler Training Introduction

Before the machine is put into service you will need to decide who will be responsible for pulling together a detailed staff training plan for your employees. This must include training plans for current staff and anyone that joins your company in the future. A step-by-step demonstration of how to use the machine should be included. It should also include other important points such as what to do before operating the machine and scenarios of what could go wrong. If anyone has any questions either during or after the training session, make sure there’s a named competent person who can answer them.

Don’t forget to document all training received by employees in detailed records. When a training session ends, make sure staff have access to any relevant training materials and the full instruction manual. You can do this through digital tools like filming demonstrations that can be watched back. QCR provide free online demonstration videos on our website that can be incorporated into your training program.

Balers supplied by QCR feature a number stickers pinpointing important safety features on the machine. Ensure these stickers are intact, un-obstructed and legible because they act as important safety reminders to users.

If you rent or purchase a baler from QCR, free high-quality training is always available and machine stickers can be ordered. If you rent a baler from us, training can be provided free of charge throughout the length of your contract.

The Benefits of Prioritising Safety

The Health and Safety at Work Act is a primary piece of workplace legislation in the UK. If you break this legislation, your business could end up in serious trouble.

Contact QCR for Your Baler Needs

Without compacting recycled material into dense, easily stacked bundles, recyclers might not be able to move their materials easily and cost effectively. That’s why most recyclers use baling systems. A baler can be used in most secondary commodity markets, including paper, cardboard, plastic, and ferrous and nonferrous metals and some plastics. Recycling equipment like a baler helps efficiently organize, store, and prepare scrap for recycling.

Are you interested in learning more about Cardboard Baling Wire? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

Perhaps just as important is the baling wire used to tie and secure the bales. Baling wire safely and neatly secures bales of recyclable material before it is moved on through the recycling process, preventing the bales from coming apart. 

There are a variety of different types and styles of baling wire used in the industry, and various prices to go with them. Some have black annealed finishes and others have galvanized or corrosion-resistant finishes, depending on the need and application. A coating may be used to adjust the surface properties of the wire to guard against corrosion, improve aesthetic appearance, and improve adhesion. Wire thicknesses and diameters are available in a range (typically 10, 11, 12, 14 and 14.5 gauges), and are selected based on the materials with which the wire will be used.

It’s important to consider your specific application when choosing the type of wire you need, emphasizes Jason Ramsey, President of Crawfordsville, Ind.-based Midwest Bale Ties, a leading manufacturer of bales ties and baling wire in the Midwest. Family-owned and operated, Midwest Bale Tie provides an assortment of quality wire products made from the best American-made raw materials. Its products are made from 100-percent U.S. steel, in 8- to 22- ft. lengths, and custom lengths. 

“There are basically three types of baling systems: vertical or horizontal manual balers, auto-tie balers and two ram balers,” Ramsey says. “Each requires a different wire product. Manual balers use single-loop bale ties, auto-tie balers take 50- or 100-lb. coils of wire and two ram balers require high tensile baling wire on a stem/stump.”

Often coated in zinc to provide excellent cathodic protection, galvanized wire is sometimes referred to as “clean wire,” and tends to be a preferred choice because it resists corrosion and outdoor storage conditions. Black annealed wire is quite pliable, which is convenient when some baled materials re-expand after unloading from the baler, so having a little extra flexibility can help prevent the wire from failing. Lightly coated with oil to resist corrosion, black annealed wire works well indoors but can sometimes rust when the bales are used and stored outdoors. “It’s important to consider your specific application when choosing the type of wire you need,” Ramsey adds.

There are also low, medium and high carbon versions, and wire with uniform strength and elasticity, which reduces breakage and machine downtime. When the wire is produced via a metal drawing process, its properties change in terms of strength, ductility, fatigue, and shape. The combination of these elements results in a broad range of products. 

Having the right size and specifications allows the customer to not over buy too large a size, Ramsey explains. “Baling wire is priced by weight. If a customer has too small of a product, they may have to use more of the lighter ties, which could be economically inefficient.”

Ramsey cautions that not all wire is not created equal. “Wire is sourced from many different countries and continents, and the quality of any bale ties and/or baling products starts at the steel mill. How that steel it is treated throughout the forming process will make or break the product.” 

So, what should buyers look for in terms of quality? American-made bale ties undergo stricter quality control standards than wire from other countries, and tends to be more durable. “Wire consistency is probably the best datum for quality,” Ramsey mentions. “If the wire has hard spots, that’s usually a result of a lower quality material, and it can break rather than stretch when being wrapped around a bale. This holds true for manual, auto-tie or two-ram baling.”

Another aspect is bale density. Density and bale sizing are important because they directly affect the use of baling wire. The old adage goes, the bigger the baler cylinder, the more the force, and consequently, the denser the bales. Bigger cylinders provide a denser, heavier bale, and yield fewer bales. That means less wire is used and there is less material handling, wear and tear, and semi loads to transport.

The baler also must use the proper number of wire ties – that number varies depending on the type of material being baled. If excessive wire is being used, wire costs could skyrocket. Many companies are now managing their wire through their baling machines’ automated tying features, which set the correct number of wires and spacing to properly tie off the bale.

Thus, it’s wise to evaluate your bale ties and baler wire as part of your next waste audit. As Mid America Paper Recycling points out, if waste is compacted into neat bales before being sent to a sorting facility, it has a better chance of being sold for a profit. Wire ties securing those bales into safer, more easily sold units, allow them to be conveniently transported and reused, says Mid America President Paul Pirkle. “Baler wire is critical to a recycler or generator. Without it, the entire process stops at not only the generation spot but also with logistics to those that are producing tissue and toweling products and packaging materials. The greater the quality of baling wire, the higher the bale integrity, and better the movement of material through the logistics network.” 

Specializing in customer service, Mid America Paper Recycling offers baling wire for sale and can recommend baling equipment tips, models, and other recycling equipment, tools and supplies. Available to answer any questions or address concerns, we would love to help provide you with additional baling assistance. Contact us today to boost your sustainable business (773- 890-).

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