What makes lasers dangerous

For more information on this eye hazard, and on how to test your own green lasers for IR light, see this news item. Balloon-popping lasers are also burn hazards Higher-power laser pointers can also be burn hazards. If a pointer can pop balloons, as some in the milliwatt range can, then it could cause skin burns similar to hot wax, and of course it would be a serious eye hazard. In general, the more powerful the laser, the closer a person is to the beam, and the longer the laser stays in the same area of the eye, the greater the possibility of eye damage.

While eye injuries from lasers are rare , all laser beams should be treated as potentially dangerous. How to stay safe and keep laser pointers legal NEVER aim a laser beam at an aircraft, a vehicle, or towards strangers.

This is to prevent the beam from getting in their eyes, possibly causing eye damage. Remember that people can move unexpectedly, so keeping away from their heads is a good idea. This is annoying, to say the least. It can be upsetting -- seeing the dot may create fear that a person is being targeted by a laser gunsight. This misuse creates a bad image for laser pointers. It goes without saying this is unacceptable and is illegal. The ability of eye wear to filter the laser beam is expressed in terms of optical density.

Optical density, type of laser, and visibility required are all important factors in the selection of protective eye wear. Protective eye wear may not provide the same degree of protection for infrared as for visible light and ultraviolet laser beams. Goggles with side shields are preferred because they provide protection against back reflection and side entrance of stray laser beams.

Plastic versus glass lenses : Protective eye glasses typically are available with plastic lenses. Plastic lenses are light weight and can be molded into comfortable shapes. Alignment eye wear : This type of eye wear is used for low power visible laser beams. Alignment eye wear should not be worn during the operation of high power or invisible laser beams. Instead, safety eye wear that provides adequate protection should be worn.

The potential for skin damage depends on the type of laser, power of the laser beam, and the duration of exposure. The type of damage may range from localized reddening to charring and deep incision. Protective clothing gown, cap, mask , gloves, and safety eye wear may be required for working near a laser.

Consult manufacturer's operating procedures and check with the laser safety officer to determine the specific needs for personal protective equipment and clothing. A fire can be started when laser beam or reflection of the beam strikes a combustible material such as rubber, plastic, human tissues, paper products, skin treated with acetone and alcohol-based preparations, human hair, and intestinal gases.

Fire hazards are of particular concern in oxygen-rich atmospheres when oxygen or when nitrous oxide is being used. Many lasers use high voltage and high current electrical power. The danger of electrical shock or electrocution arises when an untrained or unauthorized person tries to perform maintenance work without following the proper safety procedures.

Electrical safety requirements include the following:. Following are the essential components of a laser safety program:. In workplaces where a class 3B or Class 4 laser is used, a laser safety officer LSO must be on staff. The laser safety officer must do the following to ensure safe use of lasers. Add a badge to your website or intranet so your workers can quickly find answers to their health and safety questions.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information, CCOHS does not guarantee, warrant, represent or undertake that the information provided is correct, accurate or current.

CCOHS is not liable for any loss, claim, or demand arising directly or indirectly from any use or reliance upon the information. OSH Answers Fact Sheets Easy-to-read, question-and-answer fact sheets covering a wide range of workplace health and safety topics, from hazards to diseases to ergonomics to workplace promotion.

Search all fact sheets: Search. Type a word, a phrase, or ask a question. Sources of laser hazards include: Unintentional eye exposure during alignment Misaligned laser beam Lack of eye protection Equipment malfunction Improper handling of high voltage systems Use of unfamiliar equipment Improper restoration of equipment following service.

There should be a laser safety program in place and all staff who must work with or near the laser unit should receive: Training on proper procedures for the safe use of equipment. Instructions about how to keep equipment in good working order. Instruction and training to protect patients and clients from exposure. Education about possible health and safety hazards to all workers. Procedures should also address purchasing, installation, testing, use, servicing, and maintenance.

Train personnel to develop awareness about fire hazards and response procedures in case of laser fires. Make sure that hot tip of the laser does not touch combustible items. Maintain precise control of laser beam. Eliminate surfaces which can reflect laser beam. During surgery the laser beam should be in the stand-by position at all times except when the handpiece is in the hand of the surgeon. Make sure that skin preparation solutions are fully vaporised before covering the area with surgical drapes.

Follow standard procedures in the event of fire or explosion. Electrical hazards Many lasers use high voltage and high current electrical power. Electrical safety requirements include the following: Use proper grounding for metal parts of the laser equipment. Label laser equipment with electrical rating, frequency and watts. Prevent explosions in high pressure arc lamps and filament lamps.

Avoid contact with electrical components, including capacitors which can contain an electrical charge even after the power is turned off. Ensure that combustible components of electrical circuit are short circuit tested. Make sure that there is no electromagnetic interference between the laser equipment and other electrical equipment.

The potential dangers of laser pointers were back in the news in June, after a boy in Greece permanently damaged his vision by shining the light into his own eye. If a laser with less than five milliwatts of output power is directed at someone's eye, that person can blink or turn away without suffering an eye injury.

However, the natural protective mechanisms of the eye — such as the blink reflex — are ineffective against lasers with an output power greater than five milliwatts, and severe retinal damage may occur, even after momentary exposure. Here's what the FDA advises :. The problem, said Hewett, is that the products sometimes lack labels or have inaccurate labels. He said about 60 percent of the sampled laser pointer products that the FDA tests are overpowered compared with what the label says.

Those pointers may be powered in the 10s or s of milliwatts. He also said some labels are too vague to be of any value. Ideally, consumers could buy a laser pointer with the certainty that it's powered under five milliwatts.

Amazon is trying to make it tougher to sell mislabeled lasers by requiring that all the pointers on its site be backed up by a compliance test report. Hewett said, as far as he knows, Amazon is the only firm that has taken that step. The FDA says that if you have a laser pointer that isn't labeled or if you don't trust the labeling, consider the following:.

The FDA also explains why blue- and violet-light lasers can be especially dangerous: The human eye actually is less sensitive to blue and violet. So, while a victim would react quickly to a red or green laser, that person may not blink or turn away as fast from an equally powerful blue or violet light, creating a greater likelihood of injury. After witnessing a rise in the occurrence of eye injuries caused by these lasers and to better illustrate the dangers of these products, researchers in Saudi Arabia documented the case histories of 14 young males, ages 11 to 30, who sought treatment for these injuries from January to January Each of the 14 patients in the study had sustained injuries to one eye.

Four of the patients suffered a full-thickness macular hole , a break in the part of the eye responsible for detailed, central vision. Other macular injuries documented in the study included hemorrhages in different retinal layers, a macular pucker when cells proliferate on the surface of the retina, causing visual impairment , a retinal disruption and a cavity in the retina.

Only four eyes 29 percent improved spontaneously with increase in vision, whereas 10 eyes 71 percent required intervention, including vitrectomy surgery in which the vitreous gel in the eye is removed and an operating microscope and small surgical instruments are used to remove blood and scar tissue that accompany abnormal vessels in the eye.