Questions To Ask When Creating Laser Safety Protocols

Lasers are a technology that is used not only in offices, but also in private practices. While lasers can expand the range of treatments that you can provide to your patients, it's also important to make sure that you use safety procedures to make sure that your laser does not cause injuries for your patient.

Are Lasers Regulated?

Lasers are as safe or as hazardous as the understanding of the laser and how well the laser is managed. The International Electrotechnical Commission creates the standards for laser safety.

Many nations use these standards as the foundation for their own standards and certain countries, such as the United States, Australia and Canada, have harmonized their national standards. Usually, these standards are not necessarily regulations, but are considered an important part of best practices and are used as a defense in the event that your practice is sued for the improper use of a laser.

What Knowledge is Required to Keep Lasers Safe?

For lasers to be used properly, the individual deploying the laser must be aware of the technical material. This includes the nominal ocular hazard area, exposure limits and optical density levels. Because this knowledge is usually not covered in a medical educational program, you will likely need to receive this training through another program.

There are several professionals who specialize in laser safety, including laser protection advisers and laser safety officers. These professionals are responsible for making sure that control measures are in place to reduce the risk of laser-related injuries.

What Role Does Maintenance Play in Laser Safety?

An important part of laser safety is making sure that communications systems used to control the lasers are in good condition. Optical communications systems also need to be installed properly. 

To make sure that your laser is functioning properly, make sure to hire a Zeiss LSM 510 maintenance service. If your laser device is not kept in good condition, it will be more likely to be defective and will either not function at all or may cause your employee to become injured.

To make sure that the laser is maintained properly, make sure to keep documents that log all of the repairs that you have performed. If there is an injury as a result of the laser, your documentation will prove that you engaged in safe laser practices. Inaccurate or incomplete information, on contrast, can increase the risk of you being held liable for injuries.