STFC SHE Group Corporate Services Who should use this presentation & read code Managers of staff, and staff, who Work with lasers or manage others who work with lasers, for example facility users, visitors etc

STFC SHE Group Corporate Services STFC Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Group Introduction to SHE Code 22 “Working with Lasers”

STFC SHE Group Corporate Services Why a SHE Code for working with lasers? While lasers are a flexible research tool used across many disciplines they emit light at wavelengths spanning the ultraviolet to the far infrared. The skin, and eyes in particular, can be at risk of injury due to thermal burns from visible or infrared laser beams, or photochemical burns from ultraviolet laser beams. In the eye these can result in permanent visual impairment. The power of STFC laser beams, particularly pulsed lasers, can be so high that not only the main beam but weak reflections and scattered light can be hazardous.

STFC SHE Group Corporate Services Key features Their flexibility and breadth of use, combined with the development of higher outputs from physically smaller devices, creates unique challenges to the control of laser hazards. This code sets out a framework of appointed responsible persons: –Overall Laser Responsible Officers (OLRO); –Laser Responsible Officers (LRO); and –Laser Nominated Persons (LNP) defining their responsibilities for ensuring safe working with lasers. Appendices to the code provide detailed and practical examples of safe laser working controls and practices.

STFC SHE Group Corporate Services Key points Read that part of the code relevant to you. Do not undertake work with lasers without the appropriate authority and safety measures in place. Report all laser related SHE incidents or near misses to your line management and SHE Group through SHE Enterprise.

STFC SHE Group Corporate Services 1 day Laser Management training events are available for Overall Laser Responsible Officers (OLROs) and Laser Responsible Officers(LROs). To book this training contact your local SHE training contact: DL/RAL 8288; SO 2061; UKATC 8325 SHE Training

STFC SHE Group Corporate Services Further questions SHE Group - Graeme Finlan, DL, 3147, RAL, Mark Roberts, DL, Matt Dickson, RAL, 5329 or your Overall Laser Responsible Officer - Steve Jamieson, DL, Jane Vickers, ISIS, Brian Wyborn, CLF, Kevin Middleton, SSTD RAL, Judith Agnew, SSTD Chilbolton, 5774 Or your Departmental Safety Contact

STFC SHE Group Corporate Services STFC SHE Code “Working with Lasers” See “What’s new” at the SHE website Look into my eyes …? How’s your retina ? Do you work with lasers ? An Nd:YAG laser pulse punched a hole in the retina. The bleeding ceased eventually and the hole closed, but the damage left the victim blind in this eye Dec 2008 Optic nerve Laser burn Retinal photo