ABSTRACT
The first concern in control of laser hazards is to become thoroughly familiar with all of the characteristics of the laser involved. The essential traits of the system are: (1) wavelength; (2) maximum available output power density, if continuous wave (CW), or maximum available output energy density and pulse width, if pulsed; (3) the classification per ANSI Z136.1; (4) the beam’s skin- damage threshold value; and (5) the beam’s eye-damage threshold value. These data will establish the required engineering controls and permit the selection of protective eyewear suitable for complete absorption of the beam or for controlled beam attenuation in case of beam detection—the most important single item in laser hazard control (see Fig. 15.1). Photograph of laser personnel at the “front end” of a high power Nd:YAG laser system wearing two different styles and different lenses for eye protection. The eyewear lens material on the left is Schott’s glass BG-18 and that on the right is Schott’s glass KG-3 (with bifocals). https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203742389/f443f0c6-9406-4280-bfab-35d4111d51b2/content/fig15_1.jpg"/> (Courtesy of Los Alamos National laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico.)
