The challenge of laser training at a world class facility: Laser training at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

This paper deals with the question how does one teach and promote laser safety at a facility where the population varies from laser novices to laser experts with years of experience. This presents a challenge to the laser safety officer on how to provide laser safety training to such a staff along with how to keep promoting laser safety through each year. This presentation will present the method used at LBNL and a gauge of its success. The approach chosen has four elements. A class room style laser safety presentation with emphasis on non beam hazards and examples of beam control techniques. Then follow up with periodic laser news items sent to all users; these address new safety devices, policy changes, accident news, and items of laser interest. A mechanism exists for safety alerts or lesson learned notices. These notices describe an incident [not limited to LBNL occurrences] how they occurred and what we can learn to prevent them from happening again. Another element is retraining, the laboratory has a 3 year retraining requirement, here users can quiz out, retake the basic class or attend a special laser safety topic seminar. In other words we present the laser user with a very pro active laser safety program to keep and reinforce laser safety to all. Trying to bring aspects of laser safety to their conscious that they may have not thought about or for years. Formal evaluations, feed back on the program, and audits have showed a high degree of acceptance of the program from all levels of laser users.