The word LASER is used to describe a source which produces electromagnetic radiation (or light) in the wavelength range 180nm in the ultra-violet to 1mm in the infra-red.

Examples of laboratory equipment that contain laser sources are:

• Flow cytometers
• Microscopes - laser scanning confocal, time-resolved fluorescence, Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF), 2 photon / multiphoton excitation, laser microdissection
• Gel documentation systems
• Multiplex bead assay readers
• DNA microarray scanner
• DNA sequencer
• Dynamic Light Scattering
• MALDI mass spectrometers

Laser products of any class or enclosure type must be registered with your Faculty Laser Safety Advisor (the only exceptions being laser pointers and lasers contained in printers and CD, DVD or BluRay drives).

For laser products of Class 3B or higher:

• The Faculty Laser Safety Advisor must be consulted for advice regarding location, engineering controls, safety procedures, training courses and provision of warning signs before using lasers for either the first time, or considering changes to an existing setup using form LS1.
• Open beam work is strongly discouraged and the use of interlocked enclosures should be considered where practicable. Where open beam work is unavoidable a full written explanation of why this is the case must be submitted to the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor and the University Laser Safety Officer.
• Written permission from the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor must be received before a new Class 3B or Class 4 laser product can be acquired or purchased and this equipment must be registered with both the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor and the University Laser Safety Officer using form LS2.
• All users must be registered with the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor (using form LS3) and take the University of Manchester Laser Safety Training Course (THS42).
• Dedicated laser H&S documentation must be completed with copies placed by the system.
• Laser warning signage must be placed on the lab doors and on the equipment.
• All registered laser equipment will be inspected at least annually by the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor in conjunction with the School Compliance and Risk Manager.
• A list of authorised users must be kept by the laser supervisor for these systems.

[Please note that the laser product class should be found in the product’s user manual and that this is not always the same as the laser system class found on the laser module itself].

• Laser pointers do not have to be registered but please note that laser pointers that are higher than Class 2 are not permitted in the University. All laser pointers must also be CE marked.

[Please note that there are some counterfeit laser safety pointers in circulation that have fake labels attached (often but not exclusively these originate from China). Any suspicious laser pointers should be taken to the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor for evaluation].

• Users of microscopes that incorporate a laser light source (e.g. confocal microscopes) should additionally refer to the specific laser safety information for this type of equipment.

• All users of laser products of Class 3B or higher must take the Laser Safety Awareness Course (THS42e). This includes users of open laser beams, those responsible for laser alignment of otherwise enclosed systems and users of most STED and Multiphoton microscopes.
• Laser users are no longer automatically required to undergo laser worker medical screening with occupational health. During the laser safety training course trainees are encouraged to take an Amsler Grid self-test and if any concerns about their eyesight arises then they are advised to ask occupational health for further screening.
• Anybody who works in the same lab as a high risk laser product but does not use it must take the Laser Safety Training Course (THS42e).
• Laser users should take a refresher Laser Safety course once every 5 years.
• Please inform the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor if you will be attending a Laser Safety Course so that the FBMH laser user database can be updated.
• Laser supervisors and anybody involved in performing laser safety calculations, writing laser documentation or laser alignment must also take the Advanced Laser Safety Course run at the PSI. Please ask the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor for details about this course.

Laser products of Class 3B or higher must have the following paperwork placed by the equipment:

• Yellow LSMP Workbook (except for exempted Class 3B products)
• Laser Risk Assessment (including laser safety calculations)
• Laser Local Rules (including a list of authorised users)
• Laser Emergency Pro-Forma

For all other laser products you must refer to the laser source in the basic risk assessment.

New laser workers must be registered with the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor and University Laser Safety Officer using form LS3.

• Service engineers must follow the FBMH and University of Manchester policies as well as their own standard operating procedures while on site.
• Labs should be cleared of all non-essential personnel and warning barriers and alignment signage should be put in place before work begins.
• Service engineers must obtain a laser permit to work before they can start work on site.
• Service engineers must sign the laser equipment back over to the laser supervisor once work is complete and the equipment must be normally operational and safe to use before they do so.

[Users of microscopes that use LED light sources additionally refer to the specific LED safety information for this type of equipment].

LEDs have recently been taken out of the laser classification system and placed into the safety classification system for lamps. As a result, some older LEDs may still carry warnings that they are ‘Class 3B’ products.

All LEDs that have no risk group assigned should undergo a risk assessment to calculate the risk group and to decide if enclosure is needed. Please contact the Faculty Laser Safety Advisor for details on how to do this.

Risk Group 0 LEDs

The vast majority of LEDs will fall into the lamp risk group 0 (exempt from classification) even if they have been previously categorised as class 3B ‘lasers’.

• RG0 LEDs do not need to be registered with the SLSA.
• A basic risk assessment for RG0 LEDs should state how the classification was calculated and that no further protection methods are necessary.

Risk Group 1 and Risk 2 LEDs

A few high powered infra red (IR) or UV LEDs might fall into RG1 or RG2 but even these will only need a basic (non-laser) risk assessment.

• RG1 and RG2 LEDs should be enclosed as a precaution but are unlikely to cause any long term damage to the eyes and skin.
• RG1 and RG2 LEDs should be registered with the SLSA (Steven Marsden)..

Risk Group 3 LEDs

If a LED (or LED array) is found to be RG3 then this should be enclosed wherever possible, used in a suitable laser laboratory and will require the user to wear PPE (appropriate goggles, gloves, lab coat) if the LED emission is accessible.