An audit of laser safety in universities: A comparison to medical laser safety Available to Purchase

There has been a history of laser accidents in Universities, sometimes with serious consequences. These have occurred due to a range of issues, including: the wide range of available laser equipment, often acquired without the knowledge of safety advisers; in some instances constructed “in-house” and with inadequate servicing; the wide variation of academic expertise and/or experience with the types of laser being used and the frequent lack of laser safety training. The culture sometimes does not always focus sufficiently on safety and there can be reluctance to accept laser risk assessment / local laser safety rules. Additionally there can be challenges in safety eyewear being able to cope with extensively broad laser output spectrums. Laser audits at three large academic institution have shown a range of new challenges arising from (1) the increasing availability of lasers with higher output powers; (2) the purchase of lasers with a lack of adequate documentation; and (3) the use of fibre lasers with broadband laser output. It will be shown that a programme of careful audit and risk assessment can group lasers into three risk categories and be managed accordingly. A simple programme of basic user laser safety training, augmented with specific training can minimize the risk of laser accidents.