Article Abstracts | May 2007
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Eye Safety in the Laser Lab
To interlock or not to interlock?
by Ken Barat, Laser Safety Officer, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Thinking about installing a laser safety interlock on the door to your Class 4 laser lab? If so, you might want to give that decision some careful consideration. A safety interlock that stops the laser or blocks the laser beam (with a shutter) if the lab door is opened is only one of three solutions for Class 4 controlled areas described in ANSI Z136.1, ”Safe Use of Lasers.” The other two are a door interlock that allows entry by authorized personnel without interrupting the laser (called a defeatable interlock) and procedural controls such as an external indication that a laser is operating in the lab, together with proper training of all personnel about the precautions necessary when entering the room.
As an interesting aside, I will note that ANSI Z136.3, “Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care Facilities,” mentions only the last option, presumably to allow for the more erratic flow of personnel through Class 4 control areas. In that case, the best approach is to train everybody...
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