Laser safety

Preventive displays

Preventive displays can belong to two different types :

  • Integrated display or protection

  • Complementary protection

Displays or integrated protection

The following displays are made mandatory to the manufacturers by the standard (NF) EN 60825-1/A2. They consist in warning panels placed on every laser system or source, specifying all the details concerning its maximum output power, wavelength, temporal mode (continuous or pulsed, with eventually the duration and repetition rate of the pulses).

Moreover, every laser class must be labelled as follows :

  • Class 1

Any class 1 system must carry a warning label :

Labeling laser class 1
Labeling laser class 1 [zoom...]

Any class 1M system must carry the following warning label :

Etiquette explanatory laser class 1 [zoom...]
Etiquette explanatory laser class 1 [zoom...] [zoom...]

  • Class 2

A warning label (as shown in fig 6a.) must be fixed on any class 2 laser, with the following text :

Labeling laser class 2
Labeling laser class 2 [zoom...]
Fig 7a : warning sign - class 2 to 3R
Fig 7a : warning sign - class 2 to 3R [zoom...]Info

Any class 2M system must carry an explicative text :

Etiquette explanatory laser class 2 [zoom...]
Etiquette explanatory laser class 2 [zoom...] [zoom...]

  • Class 3R

Any class 3R system emitting between 400 and 1400 nm must carry a warning label as in fig. 6A, and a warning panel with the following text :

Labeling laser class 3R
Labeling laser class 3R [zoom...]

Moreover, a panel carrying the text “ Laser output” must be placed next to the output(s) of the beam(s).

  • Class 3B

A warning label (as shown in fig 6b.) must be fixed on any class 3B laser emitting between 400 and 1400 nm, next to a sign with the following text :

Labeling laser class 3B
Labeling laser class 3B [zoom...]
Fig 7b : warning sign - class 3B to 4
Fig 7b : warning sign - class 3B to 4 [zoom...]Info

Moreover, a sign carrying the text “ Laser output” must be placed next to the output(s) of the beam(s).

  • Class 4

A warning label (as shown in fig 6b.) must be fixed on any class 4 laser, next to a sign with the following text :

Labeling laser class 4
Labeling laser class 4 [zoom...]

Moreover, a sign carrying the text “ Laser output” must be placed next to the output(s) of the beam(s).

If the radiation is not inside the spectral domain 400 – 700 nm, the display must contain the following text : “invisible laser radiation”.

Complementary protection

In order to ensure a better protection of the users or laser operators, the firm or the laboratory can apply a supplementary protection. It consists in one of the following examples :

  • Delimiting a laser area whose access can be controlled. One can use various ways to delimit the area : either by placing at its border permanent clearly visible displays and signs, presenting the different hazards, or by installing the laser system in a closed room, whose access is restricted to the competent staff.

  • Writing marks on the floor, in order to prevent anyone to cut the beam's trajectory

  • Installing a minimal permanent lightning (500 lux). This can prevent the pupil to get wide opened, and thus limits the radiative power entering the eye.

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