ABSTRACT
This chapter considers laser safety calculations and laser safety rules that are typically covered in laser safety courses. It discusses the anatomy of the eye and skin and how lasers can be a hazard to both. Laser damage to the skin is a more obvious scenario than eye damage. Many lasers implement high-voltage discharges, spark gaps, flammable liquids and other materials, and produce optical light that might be bright enough to cause fires. The laser scientists and engineers using any laser system must know all of the potential fire hazards present and must have protocols in place to prevent them as well as to extinguish them if they were to occur. Many lasers also pose potential explosive hazards due to either volatile chemicals, gas overpressures, high-voltage components, or a combination of these. The laser scientist and engineer must be aware of any such potential explosive hazards and implement mitigation strategies.
