Update on the ANSI Z136.4 recommended practice for laser safety measurements for hazard evaluation

The ANSI Z136.4 Recommended Practice for Laser Safety Measurements for Hazard Evaluation is in Subcommittee Draft for Vote form. This standard has been in the works for over twenty years and recently narrowly missed publication because of the sweeping changes in the Z136.1 standard in 2000. Current membership working on the Z136.4 document includes the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Food and Drag Administration, the Department of Defense, Industry, and Professional Societies. The document provides adequate, practical guidance for measurement procedures used for classification and hazards evaluation of lasers. Z136.4 is intended to provide guidance for manufacturers, Laser Safety Officers (LSOs), and trained laser users. Subjects covered include detectors, laser classification, laser hazard evaluation, laser parameter measurements, and optical density measurements.