For the safe use of lasers in educational institutions: elementary through university

Fredrick P. Seeber

doi:10.1117/12.224061

13 October 1995 For the safe use of lasers in educational institutions: elementary through university

Fredrick P. Seeber

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Proceedings Volume 2525, 1995 International Conference on Education in Optics; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.224061
Event: SPIE's 1995 International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1995, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

The use of lasers by the academic community continues to dramatically escalate. Academia is inundated with a profusion of lasers, each with a diverse function. Traditional departments such as biology, chemistry, and physics have introduced the use of lasers as an essential element of tutelage. Even the more distinctive departments such as Cancer Research, Civil Engineering, Earth and Planetary Science, Plasma Fusion, Spectroscopy, and so forth, have incorporated the laser in the composition of their educational mechanism. The literature indicates most ocular accidents happen during alignment procedures, which is an everyday activity for educational laboratories. Also, the improper use of laser safety eye wear is a major area of concern for laser safety in education institutions. More Class II, III, and IV lasers are used in universities, colleges, laser electro-optic technical colleges and high schools than probably any other area: for teaching, research, laboratory experiments, and demonstrations. Relatively large numbers of students work in laboratory groups in confined area, with various lasers of different wavelengths in the same laboratory. Open cavity and beam paths of Class IV lasers are common in these environments. Most educational institutions do not have laser safety officers or standard operation procedures. This paper will discuss the development of a new laser safety standard by an ANSI ad-hoc committee and by the executive committee of the ANSI Z-136 intended to provide adequate, reasonable, and practical guidance for educators, students, and spectators found in classrooms, lecture halls, and laboratories associated with universities, colleges, high, and elementary schools.

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Fredrick P. Seeber "For the safe use of lasers in educational institutions: elementary through university", Proc. SPIE 2525, 1995 International Conference on Education in Optics, (13 October 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.224061

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