GSI Group - Laser Division
JK300HP/JK300P/JK125P
Issue 2.0
Pre-installation and User Manual
Part No: 1EA300E01
Page
23 of 172
2. Safety
2.1 Laser Classification
Laser classification indicates the potential hazard presented to the User. There are two
standards used to define Laser Products: Throughout the World, with the exception of North
America, regulation IEC 60825-1 (EN 60825-1 in Europe) is used. This regulation defines
Laser Products as Class 1 to Class 4. The classifications and risks for IEC60825-1 are
defined in the following table.
Class Risk
Description
Class 1
No risk to
eyes.
No risk to
skin
Class 1 Laser Products are defined as safe in normal operations under
reasonably foreseeable conditions, including direct viewing of the laser
beam with optics that could concentrate the laser output into the eye. In
addition to some intrinsically low power lasers products, Class 1 Laser
Products also includes embedded products that totally enclose a higher
Class of laser e.g. CD players, laser printers and most industrial laser
processing machines.
Class 1M
Low risk to
eyes.
No risk to
skin.
Class 1M Laser Products are defined as safe in normal operations under
reasonably foreseeable conditions, including direct viewing of the laser
beam, providing the user does
not
employ optics that could concentrate
the laser output into the eye. Unsafe conditions include use of a
telescope or binoculars with a 1M laser emitting a well-collimated laser
beam or use of an eye loupe or magnifier with a high divergence 1M
source.
Class 2
Low risk to
eyes.
No risk to
skin
Class 2 Laser Products are those emitting visible light for which the
natural aversion response to bright light (including the blink reflex)
prevents retinal injury. This includes direct viewing of the laser beam with
optics that could concentrate the laser output into the eye. These lasers
do present a dazzle hazard and appear uncomfortably bright when
viewed directly but should not cause harm if viewed for less than 0.25
seconds.
Class 2M
Low risk to
eyes.
No risk to
skin
Class 2M Laser Products are those emitting visible light for which the
natural aversion response to bright light (including the blink reflex)
prevents retinal injury. However, as with Class 1M Laser Products, only
provided the user does not employ optics that could concentrate the laser
output into the eye.
Class 3R
Low risk to
eyes.
Low risk to
skin
Class 3R Laser Products are those in which the output is up to a factor of
five over the maximum allowed for Class 1 or Class 2. Because of
inherent safety factors in the limits for these classes, the risk of injury for
direct viewing of a Class 3R laser beam remains low, but greater
precautions should be taken when using these lasers to prevent direct
eye exposure, especially for invisible Class 3R lasers.
Class 3B
Medium
risk to
eyes.
Low risk to
skin
Class 3B Laser Products are those to which direct exposure of the eye is
hazardous, even considering aversion responses. Scattered laser light is
usually safe, for example diffuse reflections from a matt surface.
However, viewing of specular reflections can be hazardous, e.g. from a
mirror surface. The higher power Class 3B lasers are also a skin hazard,
but the natural aversion response to localised heating generally prevents
a skin burn.
Class 4
High risk to
eyes.
High risk to
skin
Class 4 Laser Products are those to which direct exposure of the eye and
skin is hazardous and scattered laser light may be hazardous to the eyes.
Such lasers are also a fire hazard and their use requires extreme caution.
Petitioners Canadian Solar Inc. and Canadian Solar (USA) Inc.
Ex. 1025, p. 23
