Safety Record Success At Fairfax’s Tamworth Press

Rockwell Automation® safety solution lays the foundation for an industry leading safety record

With the advancement of the digital age, gone are the days where printing presses were required to reside within close proximity to the journalists, who would rush a story down to the print room for inclusion in tomorrow’s newspaper.

It now makes good business sense to invest in new technologies and consolidate print centres to service a broader geographical location.

Fairfax’s original printing press in Tamworth, New South Wales was installed back in 1997. The press was constructed from second hand equipment from various sites around Australia and was approximately 25-30 years old.

As a result of restructuring and with the requirement to consolidate a number of regional printing presses, a new greenfield facility was built in Tamworth and existing equipment from regional areas including Wagga, Nowra, and Warrnambool were relocated to the site.

With a strong focus on health and safety at the site, Fairfax conducted a risk assessment with participation from Goss International and Rockwell Automation.

Based on the findings of the risk assessment, an innovative safety solution was commissioned at the site. This culminated in an enviable safety record for the press that is based on the latest technologies in integrated control and safety.