|
LASER POINTER
· What should I know before using/buying a laser pointer?
· Should I buy laser pointers over the internet?
· How do I apply for licences to own and use a controlled laser?
Laser pointers are hand-held, pen-like and battery-powered devices that can project a laser beam for the purpose of highlighting key locations at a distance or areas of interest on the screens during presentations. Commonly available laser pointers emit red coloured light although more expensive pointers which emit green or blue light exist too. Red colour laser pointers usually come under the laser classes of 1, 2 or 3A, with beam power output up to 5 milliwatts (mW). These classes give users an indication of the degree of laser hazard. The higher the class, the more powerful the laser and the greater will be its potential to pose serious danger if used improperly. More powerful classes of laser pointers exist – see FAQ below for further information. The laser beams from these pointers may reach a few hundred milliwatts (mW), and they are extremely dangerous. Licences are required to import, to possess and to use such lasers and the licence fees can be many times of the cost of the laser pointers.
Even at a very low power of 5 mW, when the laser is aimed directly at the eye, it will cause temporary flash blindness. A split second brief exposure from such lasers is not likely to cause permanent injury immediately because the eye will blink and moved to avoid the beam, but it can lead to visual loss in later years.
In Singapore, the legislations for lasers come under the Radiation Protection Act (Chap 262) and its Regulations, which are administered by the National Environment Agency (NEA). Under the legislations, all class 3b and class 4 laser apparatus, including laser pointers belonging to these classes, are controlled apparatus. The owner and the operators of these controlled apparatus are required to have the necessary licences in order to legally possess and/or use the apparatus. (Please refer the regulatory notes/documents for a more detailed description on the types of controlled lasers.)
The following are guidelines one should observe when operating a laser, and are useful for people handling laser pointers:
· Do not operate a laser if the hazard class of the laser is not shown on the warning label for the laser.
· Never aim or shine a laser beam at yourself, at anyone or at an aircraft or a moving vehicle.
· Laser radiation should be discharged in a background that is non-reflective and fire resistant.
· The target area where a laser beam shines on should be cleared of personnel for a reasonable distance.
· Warning sign should be attached to laser equipment in a conspicuous location indicating the potential eye hazard associated with laser.
· Avoid aiming laser with eye or looking along the axis of the beam.
· Looking into a primary laser beam should be avoided at all times, and equal care should be exerted to avoid looking at specula reflections of the beam, including those from lens/glass surfaces.
· Laser work should be carried in areas of high general illuminations to keep pupils constricted; this will limit the laser energy which might inadvertently enter the eyes.
· Laser radiation workers should be instructed on potential eye hazards and the importance of limiting unnecessary exposure.
· Wherever possible, safety eyewear designed to filter out specific frequencies characteristic of a laser system should be worn, but it should be noted that this form of protection may only be partial.
· Binoculars or aiming telescopes should not be used to view direct beam or reflected beam from mirrors unless the beam intensities are greatly below the safe levels. If necessary, a filter having sufficient optical density should be placed in the optical path of the binoculars or telescopes for such situations or adequate laser protective eye wear be worn by the operator.
· In the event of injury, immediately consult your eye doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Laser
What is a laser?
The word “Laser” is the acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Light produced by conventional sources such as lamps radiates in all directions from the lamp and in various wavelengths that reinforce or cancel each other. Light from a laser source is highly coherent and highly directional, and in a specific wavelength. Thus, a laser light can be made to travel in an extremely narrow beam over a vast distance in air without losing much of its energy.
Laser can be produced in different “lasing” medium of which there are 4 common types:
(a) Solid State (e.g. ruby crystal laser)
(b) Gaseous State (e.g. CO2 laser)
(c) Semiconductor (e.g. semiconductor laser)
(d) Liquid State (e.g. organic dye laser)
Laser beams could be emitted as a continuous wave (where the light is continuously being emitted) or as pulses (where the same amount of energy is released in a short burst). The wavelengths of laser beams could range from infrared to visible light to ultraviolet. Infrared and ultraviolet laser beams are invisible to the human eyes, which poses an additional degree of hazard.
What is the hazard of lasers?
The eyes and skin are the two main organs at risk from exposure to laser beam. Health effects from exposure to laser beam fall into two broad categories – direct and indirect hazards. Direct hazards include injury to the eyes and skin from direct exposure to the laser beam or to reflections of the laser beam from mirrors or metallic surfaces. Various indirect hazards may also arise from the use of lasers, such as electrical hazards, diffuse reflections, burns from heated surfaces, production of toxic fumes, vapours and airborne contaminants from materials heated by the beam.
There are two characteristics of laser light which contribute to the hazard of laser:
· Laser light can be emitted in a narrow beam over vast distances, and does not diminish in intensity with increasing distance from the laser source. This means that the same degree of hazard can be present both close to and far away from the laser source.
· The eye can focus a laser beam to a very small, intense spot on its retina, which can result in a burn or blind spot at the retina. This may lead to temporary or even permanent loss of vision.
Can laser radiation go through the body or cause cancer?
Some laser apparatus emit radiation in the form of visible light. Others emit radiation that is invisible to the eye, such as ultraviolet or infrared radiation. In general, at low intensity, laser radiation is not in itself harmful, and behaves much like ordinary light in its interaction with the human body. Laser radiation from commonly available laser apparatus such as laser pointers is unable to cause cancer. (Note that radiation from UV laser systems may promote the occurrence of skin cancer if not properly shielded. The systems however are not easily available to the general public.)
Why is laser pointer a safety issue?
Laser pointers are misused when they are directed deliberately at the eye or treated as toys. The light energy from a laser pointer aimed at the eye can be more damaging than looking directly at the sun. In addition, the startling effect of a bright beam of light can cause serious accidents if it is aimed at someone driving a car or operating other machinery or the pilot flying an aircraft.
Green (and blue) laser pointers are of particular concerns. By construction, these laser pointers may emit invisible laser beams at the same time as the visible beams, without being noticed by a user. In addition, they may be altered to become more powerful, making them extremely dangerous in the hands of the general public.
What is laser classification?
The classification of a laser product provides information on the degree of laser hazard of the product. The higher the class, the more powerful the laser and the greater will be its potential to pose serious danger if used improperly.
It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure that its laser product is properly classified. Lasers manufactured in Singapore are classified into five classes (1, 2, 3a, 3b and 4) depending on the extent of laser hazard. The hazard classifications specified for laser are defined by the output parameters of the laser, i.e., emission wavelength, emission duration, power output, and accessible emission levels (AELs) of laser radiation. The maximum accessible emission levels for various classes of lasers are specified in the Second Schedule to the Radiation Protection (Non-Ionising) Regulations 1991. It should be noted that other countries in the World may adopt slightly different classification schemes.
The classes of lasers specified in the Radiation Protection (Non-Ionising) Regulations 1991 are briefly described as follows:-
Class 1 lasers are safe by virtue of their very low power output or by engineering design. These lasers are considered as non-risk lasers, or exempt lasers. The wavelengths could range from ultraviolet, visible to infrared region. Class I continuous visible laser should not have the accessible laser radiation output of more than 0.39 microW.
Class 2 lasers emit visible light and are limited to a maximum output power of 1 milliwatt (mW). A person receiving an eye exposure from a Class 2 laser will be protected from injury by the person’s natural aversion response – an involuntary response which causes the person to blink and turn their head, thereby avoiding further eye exposure.
Class 3a lasers are capable of emitting visible and/or invisible laser radiation up to a maximum output power of 5 mW. For accidental exposure, this class of laser is not capable of damaging the eye immediately, because of the person's normal aversion response to bright light. However, intentional staring into the laser beam or viewing the laser with optical instruments can be hazardous and should be avoided at all times. Many construction alignment lasers fall into the Class 3a category.
Class 3b lasers are medium-power and moderate-risk laser devices that are capable of emitting ultraviolet, visible or infrared laser radiation. Laser beam from a Class 3b laser can have an output power ranging from 5 mW up to 500 mW for emission duration of longer than 0.25 sec. These lasers are capable of causing temporary and permanent eye injury by exposure from the direct beam or specularly reflected beam. The extent and severity of the eye injury will depend upon several factors including the laser power entering the eye and the duration of the exposure. Skin injury from direct exposure to the laser may also be possible. Therapeutic lasers, acupuncture lasers, bio-stimulation lasers, military laser range finders and designators are all under Class 3b lasers.
Class 4 lasers are high-power and high-risk lasers that are capable of emitting ultraviolet, infrared or visible laser radiation at levels exceeding the accessible emission levels for Class 3b. Typically, these lasers have power output of 500 mW or greater. These lasers can produce a hazardous direct beam or specularly reflected laser beam that can injury the eye immediately (and permanently). They may also burn the skin and/or cut the flesh.
What is the licensing requirement for laser?
Licences are required for manufacturing, selling, operating (using) and possession of a laser apparatus belonging to the hazard class of 3b or 4.
The owner of class 3b and 4 laser apparatus will need to apply for a N2 (possession) licence for each of the laser apparatus. The person who would operate the laser will need to apply for a N3 licence authorizing him / her to operate the laser. The owner of the laser may only allow the laser to be used by authorized users.
Any person importing or exporting Class 3b and Class 4 laser apparatus are required to apply for the N4A or N4B licences, respectively. The importer or exporter of these lasers must possess the necessary dealer / owner licence before being granted the N4A or N4B licences, respectively. In most cases, the import & export licences are applied by the freight company on behalf of the importer & exporter.
Note that a person may be subjected to a written test to demonstrate his / her knowledge in laser safety before being issued the N3 user licence.
(Please refer to the NEA website or the regulatory documents for more information, especially on the licensing requirement of entertainment lasers not mentioned here.)
How should I apply for the licence to own and/or use laser?
The licence application forms for possession (N2) and for usage (N3) of laser can be obtained from the NEA website. Further instruction can be found on these forms.
Should I buy laser pointers over the internet?
You should not.
Investigation by NEA as well as by radiation protection agencies in advanced countries reveals that a significant proportion of these laser pointers are Class 3b lasers, but improperly labelled as having a lower power output, with lower risk. This is especially so for the green and blue laser pointers. These high power lasers are extremely hazardous and are not suitable for sale to or for use by the general public.
NEA may check and perform measurement on such laser pointers during the importation process. If such laser pointers are found to have emission powers belonging to those of the class 3b or class 4 lasers, then the importers (buyers) will need to apply for licences before the items can be cleared through customs.
The licence fees can be many times of the cost of the laser pointers, and there is no guarantee that NEA will grant licences to approve the importation, the possession and/or the use of these laser pointers. The laser pointers which have been refused customs entry may result in financial lost to the importers (buyers) due to transportation charges and if there is no proper refund policy from the exporters (sellers).
How do I dispose of laser pointers?
Before a laser pointer can be disposed, you need to ensure that it can no longer be operated any more. After which, the laser pointer can be disposed off like other electrical/electronic goods.
|