National Occupation Code (NOC): 73401

Printing press operators set up and operate sheet and web-fed presses to print text, illustrations and designs on a wide variety of materials such as paper, plastic, glass, leather and metal. They are employed by commercial printing companies; newspapers, magazines, and other publishing companies; and establishments in the public and private sectors that have in-house printing departments. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

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Job Duties for Printing press operators

• Review job orders to determine job specifications such as production time, colour sequence and quantities required, and advise press crew of these specifications
• Mount plates or cylinders and make necessary adjustments
• Fill ink fountains and take measurements, make adjustments and determine settings to control colour and viscosity
• Set up press and check samples for ink coverage, alignment and registration
• Monitor regular press runs for quality and consistency using computer control console and make adjustments as required
• Remove and clean plates and cylinders at end of press run
• Direct activities of press crew and ensure that safety procedures are adhered to.

Alternate Job Titles

• Apprentice Press Operator
• Apprentice Press Operator - Printing
• Apprentice Pressman/woman
• Apprentice Pressman/woman - Printing
• Apprentice Printing Press Operator
• Assistant Press Operator - Printing
• Assistant Pressman/woman
• Assistant Pressman/woman - Printing
• Commercial Press Operator
• Cylinder Press Operator - Printing
• Cylinder Press Set-up Operator
• Cylinder Pressman/woman - Printing
• Cylinder Printing Press Set-up Operator
• First Press Operator - Printing
• First Pressman/woman
• First Pressman/woman - Printing
• Flat-bed Press Set-up Operator
• Flexographic Press Adjuster
• Flexographic Press Operator
• Flexographic Press Set-up Technician - Printing
• Flexographic Pressman/woman
• Gravure Press Operator
• Gravure Pressman/woman
• Gravure Printer - Printing
• Gravure Printing Press Operator
• Gravure Proof Press Operator - Printing
• Gravure Proof Puller - Printing
• Gravure Proof Wallpaper Puller
• Ink Evaluation And Press Operator - Printing
• Ink Evaluation Pressman/woman - Printing
• Intaglio Printer - Printing
• Intaglio Printing Press Operator
• Job Printer
• Letterpress Operator - Printing
• Letterpress Proof Press Operator - Printing
• Letterpress Proof Puller - Printing
• Lithographic Offset Proofer
• Lithographic Offset Proofing Hand
• Lithographic Press Operator - Printing
• Lithographic Pressman/woman - Printing
• Lithographic Printer
• Newspaper Press Operator
• Newspaper Pressman/woman
• Offset Lithographic Proof Press Operator - Printing
• Offset Machine Operator
• Offset Press Operator
• Offset Press Operator - Printing
• Offset Pressman/woman - Printing
• Offset Printer
• Photoengraved Plate Proof Press Operator - Printing
• Photoengraved Plate Proof Puller - Printing
• Plastic Sheet Offset Press Operator
• Platen Press Operator - Printing
• Platen Press Tender
• Press Operator - Printing
• Pressman/woman - Printing
• Printer
• Printing Press Assistant Operator
• Printing Press Operator
• Printing Technologist
• Proof Press Operator
• Proof Press Operator - Printing
• Proof Pressman/woman - Printing
• Proofer - Printing
• Proofing Hand - Printing
• Proofing Press Operator
• Rotary Offset Press Operator
• Rotary Press Operator
• Rotogravure Press Operator - Printing
• Rotogravure Pressman/woman - Printing
• Rotoprinter - Printing
• Senior Press Operator - Printing
• Senior Pressman/woman - Printing
• Sheet Metal Lithographic Press Operator
• Sheet Metal Lithographic Pressman/woman
• Thermographic Printer
• Wallpaper Gravure Proof Press Operator
• Wallpaper Rotogravure Press Operator
• Web Press Operator - Printing
• Web Pressman/woman - Printing
• Large Format Print Operator