A proposal how to deal with low power laser in the new European directive on artificial optical radiation

Abstract

According to the new European Directive 2006/25/EC on artificial optical radiation in connection with the respective articles in the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC the employer has to determine the exposure and assessment of risks and to provide aims at avoiding or reducing risks. In addition the employer shall ensure that workers who are exposed to risks from artificial optical radiation at work receive any necessary information and training relating to the outcome of the risk assessment.Employers should especially make adjustments in the light of technical progress and scientific knowledge regarding risks related to exposure to optical radiation, with a view to improving the safety and health protection of workers. Technical progress, changes in the most relevant harmonised European standards or international specifications, and new scientific findings concerning occupational exposure to optical radiation shall be adopted in compliance with the Directive.In the case of low power lasers the safety philosophy is based on aversion responses including the blink reflex since many years for the case of short intrabeam viewing.On the other hand it was found in a total of 2,650 volunteers that the blink reflex occurred in not more than 20 % of all cases if an irradiation is performed under class-2 conditions. In addition it has been shown with about 1,200 volunteers that aversion responses in terms of head movements and eye closure occur even less frequent.These findings do not state that class 2 lasers are no longer safe. But in order to improve the safety further users of such lasers should be instructed to perform active protective reactions in the concept of organizational measures, i. e. close the eyes actively and avert the head in the case of intrabeam viewing as soon as possible. These measures can increase the safety of laser class 2 sufficiently and prevent a violation of the exposure limit values based on the current ICNIRP guidelines.The new concept of active protective reactions will be included in the description of the respective laser classes in the new edition of the international standard IEC 60825-1 and states inter alia that users are instructed by labelling not to stare into the beam, i.e. to perform active protective reactions by moving the head or closing the eyes and to avoid continued intentional intrabeam viewing.Adequate instruction to perform active protective reactions might be a valuable contribution in order to prevent any potentially hazardous laser radiation and thus fulfils the requirements of the EC Directive and in addition actually increases the safety against laser radiation arising from wrong labeled class 2 laser products and true class 3R lasers in the visible spectrum.In addition to the proposal for an amended instruction and training several other possibilities to comply with the new European Directive 2006/25/EC are presented.According to the new European Directive 2006/25/EC on artificial optical radiation in connection with the respective articles in the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC the employer has to determine the exposure and assessment of risks and to provide aims at avoiding or reducing risks. In addition the employer shall ensure that workers who are exposed to risks from artificial optical radiation at work receive any necessary information and training relating to the outcome of the risk assessment.Employers should especially make adjustments in the light of technical progress and scientific knowledge regarding risks related to exposure to optical radiation, with a view to improving the safety and health protection of workers. Technical progress, changes in the most relevant harmonised European standards or international specifications, and new scientific findings concerning occupational exposure to optical radiation shall be adopted in compliance with the Directive.In the case of low power lasers the safety philos...