Laser Safety Guidelines

The guidelines provide practical advice on how to plan the layout of a laser workstation, including the selection of protective equipment and the design of functional divisions within the work area.The course covers the standards for selecting protective clothing, the planning of work area traffic flow, and safety operating procedures, all to help companies establish a safe and efficient working environment.

Choosing and using protective equipment.

What is the biggest danger in working with lasers? Damaging the eyes and burning the skin! So we have to give the operators "armor.There are many different materials used in protective clothing on the market. Remember three key points: Choose flame-resistant materials (at least EN ISO 11612 grade); check the seam seal; don't buy cheap goggles with an excessively high light-transmission rate.I've seen workshops where they try to get by with ordinary equipment, only to have the laser burn holes through it. You can't afford to skimp on the equipment.

Selecting the right pair

Different laser wavelengths require different specialized lenses. For example, blue-light protection glasses and welding masks should not be mixed.When buying a pair of sunglasses, you must ask the supplier to provide a wavelength chart, and you should also test the lenses for light transmission. One simple method is to shine a laser pen through the lenses and see if you can see a bright spot on a piece of white paper.

Layouts for the avoidance of pitfalls.

Laser equipment is not something you can just set up anywhere! Last year a metal processing plant set up a cutting machine facing a walkway, and the reflected light nearly injured an employee walking by.The ideal layout should follow three principles: 1) leave a 1.5-meter safety zone between equipment; 2) add light-absorbing plates to the reflective surfaces; 3) the control panel should be located outside the blind area.

The ventilation system is also a marvel of engineering.

The metal dust and toxic gasses produced by the laser are not something that can be handled by ordinary fans.It is suggested that a lateral suction device be installed at a height of 30 centimeters from the top of the machine to cooperate with a water curtain filtration system.I've seen smart manufacturers use second-hand refrigerators to make ventilation tubes. The costs have fallen by 40 %, and the results are even better than those from standard equipment.

Daily management must be tightly controlled.

Even the best equipment can't withstand careless operation. The company has adopted a two-person system in which one person operates the equipment while the other supervises, and the emergency stop button is checked monthly.The most easily overlooked area is the ventilation system. Last week I went to a parts factory and found the ventilation system blocked with boxes. The motherboards were all distorted by the heat.

A drill for the contingency plan.

Don't wait until something happens to flip through the emergency plan. Every quarter, the group organizes simulated laser burns, practicing three things: turning off the power, quickly rinsing the wound, and knowing how to get to the nearest hospital with a burn unit.One precision electronics firm has a map of the emergency evacuation route hanging in the changing room. The distance from the factory to the hospital is only 12 minutes.