In developing a plan for the safety training of laser technicians or users, one can begin by first identifying the potential dangers that a student may encounter. These items may be considered as the “Whatto Teach” items, and will vary little from laser to laser. They are: eye or body tissue damage hazards from the laser beam itself; and electrical hazards from the laser power supply.
In considering the approaches to giving safety training, the “How to Teach” factors should be considered: theoretical sessions in the classroom; practical demonstration on a laser; and study of earlier safety incidents and case histories.
Finally, the type of student who will receive the training must be considered. While all training methods may be valid ones, they may not all prove to be as equally effective with all students. These final factors are the “Who to Teach” factors, and fall mainly into the following categories: users and operators, both skilled nd unskilled; technicians and maintenance staff of varied skill levels; and professional engineers, plant managers and safety personnel.
This presentation will review industrial laser maintenance training programs that incorporate these general factors in the training programs along with some practice “rules of thumb: applicable to all laser users.