Laser Safety Training
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, better known by its acronym, LASER, is one of the newer technologies that have provided a breakthrough in various fields. A device, which converts energy into a narrow beam of intense light of a precise wavelength has indeed done wonders.
Laser is used mainly in cutting and drilling of various material including steel, fabrics and diamonds. This high-energy optical beam combined with computer feeds, can be used effectively to make very delicate and complicated designs. Even the dental drills come coupled with laser.
Perhaps, it has played the most important part in communications. The fiber optic cable uses filaments of glass for a channel, through which thousands of laser beams passes through. This help thousands of people talk to each other simultaneously. There is no denying that the field of communication has made a giant leap by using laser.
Other areas where lasers are used are medical (in eye surgery, removal of body hair, tattoos, and birthmarks), military (laser guided precision weapons), and entertainment (CDs, DVDs, holograms, illusions, etc).
While laser finds use in all fields, it has to be noted that a high level of safety standard should be met whilst working around this dangerous ray of light. To avoid injury there are a number of laser safety products. Laser safety goggles, laser safety windows (uses polymer, which absorbs laser), and laser safety curtains are a few of them.
Laser safety courses are offered by highly trained officers to educate and enlighten the laser technicians who work very closely with lasers. Laser Safety Institute of America (LIA), which is an association of people and organizations with common interest in lasers, offers training programs on laser safety. There is a set of guidelines for safety standards, ANSI Z136. These guidelines form the base for any training course.
One of University of Minnesota’s review papers is about Confocal Raman Microscope Laser safety. Under principles of laser exposure, it underlines the importance of avoiding exposure. It brings out the fact how the laser equipment is inspected very often to check for damage. The laser equipment box comes with a seal to avoid the beam from passing through while not in use.
Hazards of Lasers: Visionary loss or visionary damage is the main hazard faced by users. Then it is the exposed skin, which can be burned if a laser beam falls on it. Other than these, inflammable materials can catch fire when the laser beam falls on them or can release toxic fumes and radiation when it falls on some chemicals.
i. The laser safety officers normally insist on the laser beam control. ii. It is always good practice to keep the laser fixed or mounted at one particular place during operation. iii. A user should not try to locate the beam at the eye level; it should be either up or down.
iv. The equipment should never be placed in a position from where the beam can pass through any doors or entrances. v. The laser beam should never be seen with naked eye deliberately even if the laser beam is not very powerful.
One of the standard operating procedures includes wearing safety eyewear, screens, etc. Another aspect is the warning signs that should be placed at appropriate places to warn off strangers. Safety locks and alarms should be placed in labs. All equipments should be clearly labeled. These are just a few of the safety measures, while the courses deal with it detail.
Writer Richard Hermes in one of his articles titled, ‘The Future of Lasers is Bright Blue,’ talks about the experiments to get a blue laser beam that will revolutionize technology. That blue beam could bring about a CD as small as a coin. With future looking bright and things becoming smaller, Lasers will go a long way from here!
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