ILSC 2011 Paper #203 (Competence in Laser Safety)

Competence in Laser Safety
Authors:
Ian Gillett, Imperial College London; London Great Britain
Presented at ILSC 2011

At Imperial College London all new Laser Users are required to attend an Introduction to Laser Safety talk. However, this induction training is only the first step in ensuring the health and safety of those working with lasers. The College has recently introduced a Competency Scheme with four levels for Users, based on the level of work they will be carrying out with lasers, and two levels for Advisors. The paper will set out the criteria that are being used to assign the various competency levels and highlight the difficulties there have been introducing the scheme and how t...

ILSC 2011 Paper #202 (On the Job Training, Hit or Miss)

On the Job Training, Hit or Miss
Authors:
Ken Barat, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Berkeley CA USA
Presented at ILSC 2011

While fundamental laser safety training is required of all class 3B & class 4-laser users, it is site-specific training that really keeps the user safe. But yet there is very little on on the job training OJT, in the ANSI Z136 series. Site specific or OJT informs the user of how to use their equipment and advises them on how to keep safe, were reflections sources might be, electrical hazards etc. It is this authors opinion that most individuals giving OJT fail to understand its importance or elements, such as instruction, and observation of the trainee. This ...

ILSC 2011 Paper #201 (Lessons Learned From A Recent Laser Accident)

Lessons Learned From A Recent Laser Accident
Authors:
Michael Woods, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Redwood City CA USA
Presented at ILSC 2011

A graduate student received a laser eye injury from a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser beam while adjusting a polarizing beamsplitter optic. The direct causes for the accident included failure to follow safe alignment practices and failure to wear the required laser eyewear protection. Underlying root causes included inadequate On-the-Job Training and supervision, inadequate adherence to requirements, and inadequate appreciation for dimly visible beams outside the range of 400-700nm. This paper describes how the accident occurred, discusses causes...

ILSC 2011 Paper #1304 (Laser Safety Program at the University of Toronto)

Laser Safety Program at the University of Toronto
Authors:
Sandu Sonoc, University of Toronto; Toronto ON Canada
Presented at ILSC 2011

At the University of Toronto over 260 class 3B and class 4 lasers and laser systems are used in a large variety of research programs and laser applications. A formal laser safety program was implemented in the 1990. The responsibility for the program was given to an occupational health and safety specialist who used an outside contractor for training and inspections. In 2004 the responsibility for laser safety was given to the Radiation Protection Service. One of the radiation safety officers was nominated as the University of Toronto Laser Safety Officer wi...

ILSC 2011 Paper #1303 (Hidden Menace: Recognizing and Controlling the Hazards Posed by Smaller and Lower Power Lasers)

Hidden Menace: Recognizing and Controlling the Hazards Posed by Smaller and Lower Power Lasers
Authors:
Samuel M. Goldwasser, Laser Teaching Center, Stony Brook University; Stony Brook NY USA
Ben Edwards, Duke University Medical System; Durham NC USA
Presented at ILSC 2011

The hazards of high power lasers are well recognized, and the necessity for controlling these hazards justifiably enjoys wide consensus. However, physically small lasers, or those with relatively low output power (e.g. Class 3B), can also present significant safety issues. The safety aspects of such small or lower power lasers often suffer from neglect because of the tendency to downplay, ignore, or simply fai...

ILSC 2011 Paper #1301 (An Audit of Laser Safety in Universities: A Comparison to Medical Laser Safety)

An Audit of Laser Safety in Universities: A Comparison to Medical Laser Safety
Authors:
Stanley Batchelor, Medical Physics Department, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust; London Great Britain
Sharmila Franks, Medical Physics Department, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust; London Great Britain
Graham Hart, Graham Hart YourRPA- Independent Radiation & Laser Protection Adviser; West Yorkshire Great Britain
Presented at ILSC 2011

There has been a history of laser accidents in Universities, sometimes with serious consequences. These have occurred due to a range of issues, including: the wide range of available laser equipment, often acquired without the knowledge ...

ILSC 2011 Paper #1204 (The Standardization and Regulation of Photobiological Safety for Non-Laser Sources in China)

The Standardization and Regulation of Photobiological Safety for Non-Laser Sources in China
Authors:
Jianping Wang, SENSING Instruments Co., Ltd; Hangzhou Peoples Republic of China
Junkai Li, SENSING Instruments Co., Ltd; Hangzhou Peoples Republic of China
Mou Tongsheng, Zhejiang University; Hangzhou Peoples Republic of China
Presented at ILSC 2011

The industries of new sources e.g. LED lighting are developing rapidly in recent years in China, photobiological safety of the non-laser radiation light sources has been paid more and more attentions; The issuance of IEC Standards and the European Council Regulations related to photobiological safety has greatly accelerated ...

ILSC 2011 Paper #1203 (Expected Changes for the Retinal Thermal Exposure Limits for Broadband Incoherent Radiation of IEC 62471 and ICNIRP)

Expected Changes for the Retinal Thermal Exposure Limits for Broadband Incoherent Radiation of IEC 62471 and ICNIRP
Authors:
Karl Schulmeister, Seibersdorf Laboratories; Seibersdorf Austria
Presented at ILSC 2011

Broadband Radiation Session Please!

Based on recent research, the exposure limit for retinal thermal injury can be updated in terms of wavelength dependence, spot size dependence and basic time dependence. The update is to be published by ICNIRP, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing radiation protection in 2011. In parallel, IEC 62471 and CIE S009 are to adopt their emission limits accordingly.

ILSC 2011 Paper #1201 (Blue Light Hazard Evaluation Based On The Luminance Of Light Sources)

Blue Light Hazard Evaluation Based On The Luminance Of Light Sources
Authors:
Jian Zheng, Zhejiang University; Hangzhou Peoples Republic of China
Junkai Li, SENSING Instruments Co., Ltd; Hangzhou Peoples Republic of China
Mou Tongsheng, Zhejiang University; Hangzhou Peoples Republic of China
Presented at ILSC 2011

Blue Light takes various effects in the human vision. Several physical parameters, as luminance, chromaticity, circadian radiance and weighted radiance of retinal photochemical damage could be quantitative. In the safety standard IEC62471, the threshold of the retinal blue light hazard and the assessment methods of the weighted radiance were specified, but it...

ILSC 2011 Paper #1104 (MATILDA: A Laser Range Hazard Assessment Utility)

MATILDA: A Laser Range Hazard Assessment Utility
Authors:
Brian Flemming, SELEX Galileo Ltd; Edinburgh Great Britain
Daniel Huantes, TASC, Inc.; San Antonio USA
Paul Kennedy, US Air Force Research Lab; Brooks City-Base TX USA
Presented at ILSC 2011

A jointly-owned utility the Military Advanced Technology Integrated Laser Hazard Assessment (MATILDA) system is being developed under the auspices of a Memorandum of Understanding between the US and the UK. This paper provides an update on progress in developing the MATILDA utility.
The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence has had long experience in developing and applying probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methods ...