Printer jams are an unfortunate bi-product of printing, particularly in large volumes. They often happen as a result of paper not being fed into the drum properly or a mechanical glitch during the printing process. Prevention is often the best cure, but in this instance, preventing a potential paper jam isn't all that straightforward.
One thing that you can do is to ensure that the paper is sat level in the tray and that there are no marks, tears or scuffs that could lead to it being taken through the system improperly. When it is pulled through the printer, even minor imperfections can be exacerbated leading to the dreaded paper jam.
You should also ensure that your printer is regularly serviced. If the components are cleaned and properly maintained, you should find that the likelihood of a paper jam is severely diminished. That isn't to say they can't happen, but it certainly shouldn't happen with any kind of regularity.
If you've had a paper jam, despite all of these preventative measures, you have to go about trying to clear it. Quite often a printer, particularly more advanced laser or multifunction printers, will provide an accurate display of where the paper has become lodged. This will provide you with a better understanding of what may have happened and give you an indication of where to enter the machine - if necessary of course.
If the issue is mechanical and the paper has become lodged within the working components of the printer you may have to attempt a manual removal. This will often mean opening up the printer, ordinarily using one of the front or side panels, and visibly locating the problematic paper. If it is possible to extract the paper or clear the jam by hand, then do so.
You do have to be careful though when doing this. Especially if you are attempting to pull the paper through. Don't tug at it as this can cause damage to the printer's components and may well cause the paper to rip. Both will cause more problems than you have actually managed to solve. So the best way to avoid this is by applying even pressure to the paper and slowly pulling back through the rollers. You shouldn't have to dismantle anything; the idea here is just to get the paper out safely.
Most printers will also feature an automatic feed button. So if there is a paper jam, you might want to consider pushing this as it could, at the very least, free up the offending page and make it more accessible. You might need to combine both the aforementioned manual extraction method as well as the more mechanical paper feed to end the paper jam issue.
If the paper has become caught up in the gearing or any of the mechanics other than the rollers, extraction may become more challenging. Manually, you might struggle to remove it without ripping the paper. Obviously you don't want to cause more harm than good, so if the system is fully clogged up and you don't fancy attempting to get it out yourself, it might be time to get in a professional. An engineer should really only be needed in the most extreme cases. It certainly shouldn't be your immediate go-to, unless of course you have one on site.
But in summary, the first thing you need to do is locate where the paper has jammed. Attempt to override the system by using the auto-feed button. This might loosen it up or send through the partially complete printed page. If that doesn't work, don't keep trying. You might ruin the system. You might then want to consider a physical, manual extraction. This will simply involve opening up the printer, visibility weighing up whether it is accessible and then trying to pull it through - using even force remember, not tugging or dragging at a corner.
Of course, those of a technical nature might be inclined to try a full system restart to see if that helps override the printer's memory and pass through the paper. Whilst switching it on and off might sound like a ridiculous solution, it can help on occasion.
If you don't think that the above techniques will work, or you've tried them unsuccessfully, you might then want to get in a skilled pair of hands. Engineers deal with these problems all the time and so can have your printer up and running in no time at all. Before doing anything you should consult your printer's user manual though, just in case there is anything more specific to your model that you need to consider.
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