Lasers impose a potential safety hazard and are subject to OSHA regulations. FORCE Technology possesses the know-how and may assist you in obtaining the necessary risk assessment. 

Whether your laser source is a few milliwatts (mW) or several kilowatts (kW), it is subject to national and international legislation, and you are obliged to obtain a risk assessment in accordance with Directive 89/391 EEC and Directive 2006/25/EC in order to ensure compliance with laser safety OSHA regulations.

Regulatory requirements for laser safety

Ensuring the safety of your personnel or laser product is mandatory, but requires specific optical understanding in order to ensure compliance with EU- and national legislation, as enforced by Arbejdstilsynet (in Denmark).

Regardless of whether you market a laser product, use a laser in production or utilize a laser in laser displays or laser shows, you must ensure compliance with EN/ISO 60825, and hold a risk assessment of your laser installation or verification of the laser safety. FORCE Technology can assist you with the required know-how in evaluating the potential laser hazards.

Laser - classification and characterisation 

Whether you are importing and selling or merely operating and applying lasers, you are obliged to ensure the personal safety of anybody within the vicinity of the laser. This calls for a classification of the laser based on its physical properties such as: 

  • Optical power
  • Wavelength
  • Pulse repetition frequency
  • Divergence
  • Propagation
  • Encapsulation.

Proper knowledge of the physical characteristics of the laser is the prerequisite for a proper risk assessment, which must accompany the laser.

Risk assessment of lasers

In accordance with European and Danish legislation, all employers must have a risk assessment when workers are subject to exposure from sources of artificial optical radiation, i.e. laser radiation. Furthermore, the employer is obliged to estimate the probable radiation level that the employees are likely to be exposed so that the measures needed to restrict exposure to the applicable limits can be identified and put into effect.

FORCE Technology offers to assist in the calculation of the levels of exposure to which workers, bystanders or spectators are likely to be exposed, and further to determine proper levels of protection and mitigation of risks, including the calculations required for adequate personal protective equipment, PPE e.g. in the form of laser safety eyewear.

Laser safety and training

All personnel involved in the use of powerful lasers must possess the required know-how in terms of laser safety in all aspects of the laser usage, including everyday operation, maintenance and service as well as alignment and adjustments. This calls for specific laser safety training and knowledge of the laser’s physical properties.

FORCE Technology provides tailor-made or general training courses on laser safety for operators and laser technicians, allowing the students to assess and mitigate hazards associated with laser radiation.

Laser safety services offered:

  • Risk assessment in accordance with Directive 2006/25/EC
  • Compliance with national legislation and authorities, e.g. Arbejdstilsynet
  • Classification in accordance with EN/ISO 60825-1
  • Laser power measurement
  • Laser safety in production
  • Calculation of likely levels of exposure to optical radiation
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), e.g. laser safety glasses
  • Laser product safety (e.g. laser pointers and other recreational lasers)
  • Laser safety of laser light shows and laser displays
  • Laser incident analysis (flight, public transportation, sports)
  • Laser safety training courses and education
  • Marking compliance of imported laser equipment
  • Signage regulations
  • Health and safety aspects of laser radiation.

Please feel free to contact us to find out how we can help you.