LASER SAFETY: Protocol and Best Practices

Practicum

Prerna Kabtiyal

06/08/20
What is a LASER?
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

• High directionality
• Monochromatic
• Coherent
• High Output

Basically, a LASER is a high power narrow beam of

Courtesy of: lambdaphoto.co.uk
electromagnetic radiation.

Safety hazards of a Laser

• Tissue damage from laser absorption
• Temperature rise denatures tissue
proteins
• Damage to eyes and skin
• Fire Hazard
• Intense laser beam can cause fires
when focussed
• Can generate hazardous fumes
 LASER Classification
Laser Class Specification Damage Potential
Class 1 Eye safe
Class 1 Product Access to laser is physically prevented Eye safe if used in the intented
manner

Class 1M Widely divergent beams or wide Safe to view with naked eye but not
collimated beams with optical instruments

Class 2 400-700nm Prolonged viewing is dangerous

Class 2M 400-700nm Accidental viewing with optical

devices can be dangerous

Class 3R(3A) Continuous Wave(CW), <5mW for Low risk of injury

visible radiation
Class 3B CW emission above 315nm must be Direct viewing is hazardous but
<0.5W; Pulsed <125mJ in less than diffuse radiations are not.
0.25s
Class 4 CW: ≥500mW; Pulsed >125mJ in less Direct exposure or exposure from
than 0.25s diffuse/specular radiation is very
dangerous. Can cause significant eye
damage, skin damage and ignition.
PPE to don around a LASER
Courtesy: fischersci.com
• Wear Laser Safety Goggles when using or around a LASER Courtesy: fischersci.com
• Protects the eyes from direct and indirect exposure

• But…
• Same goggles don’t work for all LASERS!!!

• Googles are rated for different wavelengths using OD numbers

• OD stands for Optical Density

• Quantifies wavelength transmission
• Transmission % = x 100%
• Higher the OD # for a wavelength, better protection
• OD # mentioned on goggles
• Same goggles have different OD # for different
wavelengths
Best safety practices in a LASER lab
• Don’t put body parts in line of LASER

• Enclose LASER in dark enclosures, when

necessary/possible

• Take account of all possible stray beams (specular and

diffuse radiation) Optical enclosure
courtesy: thorlabs

• Do not focus high intensity LASERs

• Can cause fires

• Avoid using flammable objects around the LASER

• Avoid metal
• Do not wear metal jewellery and watches etc when
operating a LASER
• Do not put metal tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, alan
keys) in the line of LASER
Laser beam block
courtesy: edmundoptics
• Employ multiple LASER blocks throughout the beam path
• Should be quickly accessible from every position
around the table
Specifics for 1135 (JH lab)

• We have two Class 4 lasers

• MIRA (tunable from 690nm-1000nm; pulsed)
• COBOLT(1064nm;CW)

• Most of the power is dumped in the beginning of beam path

• Beam height is 3-6’’ above table top

• All beams(including stray beams) are accounted for during regular operation but
can be dangerous during alignment procedure

• Do not lean down around the LASER table

• Do not touch optics on the table, if you think you accidently bumped something
notify the respective operator

• Notify others to wear goggles when aligning

Conclusion
• LASERs can be dangerous

• We have Scary LASERs in our lab

• Be careful, wear appropriate eye protection when around a LASER

• Do not insert your body parts in the line of the LASER

• If you are operating a LASER follow best practices for alignment and
operation

• If you see Prerna or Michael working with a LASER without googles,

seemingly nonchalantly
• Do not copy them!
• They know what they are doing and processing laser safety protocols
in their heads by default