Article Abstracts | June 2007
The complete article appears in the June 2007 issue of Photonics Spectra. If you do not have a copy of this issue,
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Seven-Year Update Drives National Laser Safety Standard Forward
Definitions and protocols are refined and simplified to improve safety, increase productivity and lower costs.
by The Laser Institute of America
As a result of advances in laser devices and their applications both experimentally and in the field, the first update in seven years to the American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers (ANSI Z136.1) has just been released. Because the standard is the foundation of laser safety programs for industrial, military, medical and educational applications nationwide, any revisions can and will affect the training and practice of laser safety in these environments.
The new standard (ANSI Z136.1 2007) provides an updated and thorough set of guidelines for implementing a safe laser program. A sampling of these changes (see table) includes a refined set of definitions, the expansion of laser classifications and new provisions for refresher training, safety protocols and changes in the medical surveillance requirements. Although many of these revisions are a consolidation of similar items into a more cohesive body, implementing some of them will require time and effort to ensure compliance with the new standard...
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