A draft international standard for laser guards has recently been issued, IEC 825-4. The scope of this standard and its implications for laser processing machine builders are summarised, in particular its requirements for the design of guards and the testing of guarding materials. Efforts to provide laser-materials data for a future revision of the standard are reviewed.

The standard strictly applies only to guarding that encloses the process zone of a laser processing machine but, it is argued, the guiding principles and criteria upon which the standard is based can and should be applied to laser safety guarding in general. Examples to illustrate this point are provided and progress on a new IEC guidance document is outlined.

Topics
Laser materials processing
1.
For manufacturers of laser processing machines, the relevant EU Directive is the Machinery (Safety) Directive, as implemented in the standard ISO 11553 ‘Safety of machinery - Laser Processing machines - Safety requirements’. For employers the relevant EU Directive is the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Directive.
2.
For example, the draft standard prEN ‘Screens for laser working places - Safety requirements and testing’ arbitrarily assumes a duration of exposure of 60 seconds.
3.
JM
Green
,
MC
Adamson
 (May
1995
)
Safe Enclosure of High Power Laser Radiation
.
Proceedings of the Third EUREKA Industrial Laser Safety Forum’ 95
,
Copenhagen
.
4.
EN 207: 1994 Filters and equipment for personal eye-protection against laser radiation.
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© 1997 Laser Institute of America.
1997
Laser Institute of America
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