Your Laser Safety Program and the New ANSI Standard

Jan 9, 2023 The American National Standards Institute Standard (ANSI) Z136.1 “Safe Use of Lasers” — revised and released in late 2022 — is the cornerstone of any laser safety program, whether it’s in a research lab, medical facility, or manufacturing environment.

Reilly focuses on changes to the revised standard and how it affects a laser safety program. She also discusses how ANSI Z136.1 outlines the duties and responsibilities of a laser safety officer (LSO), a role that is a vital component for the success of any laser safety program. As defined by ANSI Z136.1, the LSO is “one who has authority and responsibility to monitor and enforce the control of laser hazards and effect the knowledgeable evaluation and control of laser hazards.” The LSO is designated by management and helps determine the required safety protocols to keep the laser user safe.

***This presentation premiered during the 2023 Photonics Spectra Conference. For more information on Photonics Media conferences, visit events.photonics.com.

About the presenter

Judith Reilly is a certified laser safety officer (LSO) and senior radiation protection officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is Kentek’s lead instructor for LSO training and has served on multiple ANSI Z136 laser safety standards committees.