Maximum exposure values where should they live?

Abstract

Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) values are a well-established and critical element of laser safety. The determinations of optical density, nominal hazard zone, and nominal ocular hazard zone are all based on MPE numbers. These MPE values looking from an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard perspective can be found in several vertical standards as well as Z136.1 the core ANSI Laser horizontal standard. The Z136.1 Standard print version contains over 250 pages and 120 plus is a combination of MPE tables and Appendix B calculation examples. Developing and editing the examples to represent the latest MPE values, correction factors etc. can be one of the reasons why there is such a gap between versions. It is the goal of this presentation to demonstrate that having these values in multiply Z136 standards (with MPE data) is a landmine waiting to explode on the Laser Safety Officer and laser user, which can lead to calculations based on out of date values for optical density, nominal hazard zone, nominal ocular hazard distance etc. This presentation will present reasons why the author thinks this is a problem and a number of possible solutions to this dilemma (MPE web page or separate document).Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) values are a well-established and critical element of laser safety. The determinations of optical density, nominal hazard zone, and nominal ocular hazard zone are all based on MPE numbers. These MPE values looking from an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard perspective can be found in several vertical standards as well as Z136.1 the core ANSI Laser horizontal standard. The Z136.1 Standard print version contains over 250 pages and 120 plus is a combination of MPE tables and Appendix B calculation examples. Developing and editing the examples to represent the latest MPE values, correction factors etc. can be one of the reasons why there is such a gap between versions. It is the goal of this presentation to demonstrate that having these values in multiply Z136 standards (with MPE data) is a landmine waiting to explode on the Laser Safety Officer and laser user, which can lead to calculations based on out of date values for optical density, nominal hazard z...