Laser Hazard Analysis: A Design Skill for Optical Engineers and Researchers
San Diego, CA
This is a two day course, held on:
Monday, August 24, 2026: 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm (4 hours)
Tuesday, August 25, 2026: 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm (4 hours)
111 W Harbor Dr.
San Diego, CA 92101
United States
Every year, preventable safety rework costs laser labs time and money due to uninformed decisions made at the design stage. Optical engineers and photonics researchers with the right analytical skills can prevent that rework and improve efficiency for their teams, but few ever receive that training.
This workshop builds that capability. In two half-day sessions, you'll learn to calculate Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE), Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance (NOHD), and optical density requirements, classify laser systems, and see how beam path and enclosure decisions drive all of them. You'll work through realistic research systems and leave with reusable calculation tools and documentation templates you can apply immediately, and carry into any role involving Class 3B/4 systems.
No prior safety training required. Taught by LIA, the organization that develops and maintains the ANSI Z136 laser safety standards.
- What You'll Receive
- 8 hours of expert instruction from The Laser Institute (LIA), the Z136 SDC Secretariat
- A hardcopy of the ANSI Z136.1 standard
- A printed course manual
- Certificate of completion
- Course materials you can apply immediately in your current lab or carry into your next role
- Who Should Attend
This course is built for optical engineers, photonics researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and principal investigators who work with Class 3B and Class 4 laser systems. No prior laser safety training required. Working knowledge of optics fundamentals (wavelength, beam propagation, optical power) assumed.
- About the Instructor
Dr. Clifton D. Clark III
Associate Professor, Fort Hays State University
Dr. Clark has been on the physics faculty at Fort Hays State University since 2011. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Texas at San Antonio (2011) and a B.S. in Physics from Fort Hays State University (2004). His teaching and research interests include quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, laser bioeffect modeling, and computational physics.