ORLANDO, FL, May 15, 2012 – The newest in the series of Z136 standards, ANSI Z136.8, American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers in Research, Development, or Testing, has arrived in response to the requirements of yet another rapidly growing area of laser use.

In what will be Laser Institute of America’s latest offering in a range of vital resources for laser personnel, the ANSI Z136.8 standard arose from the increasing reliance on lasers in labs and other research-designated areas.

“Laser applications in the research setting have been on a steadily increasing pace, in particular with the development of pico- and femtosecond lasers as well as nano laser technology,” explains Ken Barat, chairman of the subcommittee responsible for developing the new standard. “The existing Z136.1 Safe Use of Lasers standard was becoming out of sync with these new laser applications in R&D.” Continue reading →

By Geoff Giordano

A new standard geared towards lasers employed in research takes a “more realistic” approach to guiding safety officers overseeing such work, in which the use of customized laser devices and fiber optics is common.

American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers in Research, Development, or Testing, the title of the new ANSI Z136.8 standard, also addresses injury prevention in specific areas where experiments are conducted.

“In the research setting, you’re often dealing with lasers that don’t have all the bells and whistles,” explains Ken Barat, chairman of the subcommittee that developed the new standard. “Z136.8 recognizes that many lasers in the research setting are homemade and may not have all these controls, so I do not have to explain why they are missing to auditors. (Z136.8) allows LSOs to accept those things rather than say you’re out of compliance.”

Continue reading →