00038520.DOC, Version 1.1
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Legal instructions
Depending on the classification, operating a laser product can produce a laser radiation that may cause
permanent eye damage and/or skin damage. The legal instructions for using a laser product vary from
country to country. The user must always inform himself on the legal instructions valid in his country and
apply them to his situation.
In Germany, the follwing instructions are binding:
DIN EN 60825-1
"Safety of laser products - Part 1: Equipment classification and requirements (IEC 60825)"
www.din.de
DIN 56912
"Showlaser und Showlaseranlagen; Anforderungen und Prüfung"
www.din.de
or DIN-Taschenbuch 342 "Veranstaltungstechnik"
http://www.dthg.de
Berufsgenossenschaftliche Vorschrift Laserstrahlung
BGV B2
:
http://www.pr-o.info/makeframe.asp?url=/bc/uvv/93/inhalt.htm
or
http://www.verwaltung.uni-dortmund.de/arbeitsschutz/internet/Gesetze/GUV/uvv2_20.pdf
or
http://www.lzk-bw.de/PHB/handbuch/download/D37341-678608023-4499.doc
Merkblatt "Lasergeräte in Diskotheken und bei Show-Veranstaltungen"
http://www.lfas.bayern.de/technischer_as/medizinprodukte_strahlensch/strahlenschutz/LASER/laser.pdf
Merkblatt "Disco-Laser"
http://www.bgn.de
DIN EN 12254
, "Abschirmungen an Laserarbeitsplätzen, sicherheitstechnische Anforderungen und Prüfung"
www.din.de
Gerätesicherheitsgesetz (GSG)
http://bundesrecht.juris.de/bundesrecht/techarbmg/gesamt.pdf
Strafgesetzbuch § 223 ff:
http://bundesrecht.juris.de/bundesrecht/stgb
or
http://bundesrecht.juris.de/bundesrecht/stgb/gesamt.pdf
Further useful links:
Uni Essen
http://www.ilp.physik.uni-essen.de/doebele/projekte/Archiv/laserschutz/laserschutz.pdf
Uni
http://www.uni-bayreuth.de/ZT4/strahlenschutz/laser/Unterweisung/Lasersicherheit-UNI-PH%202002.pdf
Sicherheitsinformation Laser-Sachverständiger
http://www.goebel-laser.de/pdf/info%20showlaser.pdf
Selbstbau-Laser
http://pluslucis.univie.ac.at/FBA/FBA95/Matischek/laser3.pdf
Useful links for
Switzerland
:
Infobroschüre zum Einsatz von Lasern
http://www.svtb-astt.ch/pdf/Laser_suva.pdf
Verordnung über den Schutz des Publikums
http://www.svtb-astt.ch/pdf/814.49.de.pdf
Dangers caused by laser radiation
Due to the extreme concentration of the laserbeam, the whole energy of the radiation is concentrated in a
very small area. If the laser beam hits a man, health damages can be caused. Next to burning the skin, laser
beams can damage the human eye. According to the wavelength (colour) of the laser, the beam can
penetrate into the retina and destroy it. Depending to the severity of the accident, dangers for the eyes have
to be observed.
For a better understanding, a comparison with visible light may be helpful. A continuously emitting laser in
the yellow/green sector with an optical power of only 1 mW (= 1.10-3 Watt) belongs to the relatively harmless
classification 2. Staring into this beam already equals staring into the summer sun in central Europe. In this
case, direct eye exposure is allowed for 0.25 s.
A laser product of the classification 3R has a 5 times higher optical power.
In contrast to sunlight or the light of an incandescent lamp where the optical power is quickly reduced with
the distance, the natural reduction of a laser's optical power is only minimal. This is why health damages can
also be produced if laser radiation hits a man in a larger distance.
Due to the sharp concentration and the high optical power of laser products often used in discotheques, the
laser beams can still produce health damages when reflected from e.g. glass surfaces or metallic surfaces.
Eye damage caused by unskilled operation of laser products can be treated as physical injury and
persecuted by law.
