OSHA Renews Alliance with LIA

The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has renewed an alliance with the Laser Institute of America (LIA) to help prevent exposure to laser beam and non-beam hazards in industrial and medical workplaces. "Through this cooperative alliance, OSHA and the LIA are focusing on sharing information on laser regulations and standards, the bioeffects that lasers have on the eyes and skin, laser control measures, and laser safety program administration," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke Jr. "For example, the alliance has produced the Laser Safety Information Bulletin, which was also developed into a podcast by the LIA. This information is beneficial to employers and employees in the medical, industrial, military, research and development, and optical fiber communications industries." Richard M. Greene, LIA's education director, said, "We are committed to working together with OSHA to educate not only their employees but all laser users on the safe use of lasers." Through the alliance, LIA members are on the editorial boards of four OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages. The LIA also distributed OSHA materials at the 7th International Photonics Technology Conference (IPTC 2007), held last year in Korea.