Don’t Turn a Blind Eye to Safety

While lasers have many useful purposes for both commercial and military applications, they can also be hazardous if not operated safely. This paper discusses the safety precautions that must be taken to adequately protect personnel when operating and/or testing lasers in a free-space environment. First, a brief overview of lasers and associated terminology are introduced. Second, the properties of one of the two most common beam profiles, Gaussian, are discussed. An understanding of the beam profile is important in correctly identifying the safe operating environment for the laser. Exposure to laser energy can result in damage to the eye and skin. Therefore, the concepts of Optical Density, Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance and Skin Hazard Distance are discussed. These parameters help ensure that the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used and help identify the hazard zone. Finally, recommendations for selecting the appropriate PPE are discussed. The concepts presented in this paper can be applied to any hazardous laser system.