Equinox Systems Cirrus User Manual page 8

Equinox Cirrus Safety
What harm can a Class 3B Laser cause?
Class 3B laser devices can be harmful to eyesight if viewed directly. i.e. that is, the beam or effect strikes
the face of a person. The actual injury that a Class 3B laser can cause depends upon a number of
factors, including how long the laser beam enters the eye for, the intensity of light, and what part of the
eye it actually gets focused onto. The most susceptible part of the eye to receive damage from a laser is
the internal back wall of the eyeball, known as the retina. It is this part of the eye that receives the light
signals that are sent to brain. All light entering the eye gets focused onto the retina.
Normal light sources such as traditional light bulbs and regular lighting effects are normally not harmful
to view. Lasers differ in that they can get focused down to very small points on the retina that can literally
burn holes on the back of the eye, which can lead damage to eyesight. This process can happen in less
time than it takes for a person to blink. There are no pain receptors on the retina, so the person will be
unaware of any damage taking place. Damage caused to the retina is permanent, and can vary from
unnoticeable loss of vision, through to severe loss of sight, particularly if the damage occurs in the part
of the retina that senses the central vision.
Are there any laws or licences relating to using Class 3B lasers?
There are no specific "laser licences" that anybody needs in order to own or operate a laser for lightshow
use. However, there is specific guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive in the form of a
document called HS(G)95 The Radiation Safety of Lasers Used for Display Purposes. HS(G)95 outlines
a number of detailed points to consider when using lasers for lightshow purposes.
Furthermore, since April 2010 new health and safety legislation was introduced in the UK that sets legal
limits as to the amount of laser light a person may be exposed to in the workplace. Class 3B lasers have
the ability to exceed the safety limits. The full title of the laser safety regulations is the Control of Artificial
Optical Radiation at Work Regulations 2010, which also define the need for risk assessment of the
exposure levels.
Most places of public entertainment operate under a Public Entertainments Licence, which is issued by
the Local Authority. The entertainment licence requirements will normally need to have a specific
provision covering the use of lasers at the venue, where it is expected that the laser installation, (whether
temporary or permanent), is to operated in compliance with the HS(G)95 laser safety guidance as part of
the venue's Public Entertainment Licence conditions.
The use of lasers, as any other equipment used for shows, will also be covered by more general health
and safety legislation, such as the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, and the Management of Health
and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, etc. These regulations, among other things, state that you must
ensure the safety of people present at the event where the laser is used, and also that a suitable risk
assessment regarding the use of laser must be carried out.