Product Code: ILSC2011_201

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 and lessons learned, and describes corrective actions that have been taken.