Category Archives: LIA Publications

LIA’s Updated Mastering Light DVD Makes Laser Safety Training Easy

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With the ever-increasing number of laser end-users, companies are continuously looking to implement cost-effective and efficient laser safety programs for new and current employees. In an effort to offer Laser Safety Officers (LSOs) the best training tools available, Laser Institute of America (LIA) has updated its 2009 Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards training video. LIA aims to provide the best methods for successful laser safety training in the constantly changing, fast-paced field of laser technology and has done so once again with the 2016 edition of Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards — now available for purchase.

For years, the Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards DVD has provided LSOs with a training tool that is not only easy to administer, but also effective in properly training employees, researchers and students alike. Like its predecessor, the new version will still outline the important safety rules and regulations employees must know in the field. However, the latest edition of the video will now feature new footage and updated information to provide employees with the best safety training possible. In addition, LIA is continuing its tradition of striving to improve the training process – both for trainees and the LSOs tasked with the critical job of educating employees – by offering both a DVD and a digital version with the purchase of the single user license version of the video. The digital version will be available for viewing at www.lia.org, where it will appear under users’ downloads.

Written and produced by LIA, Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards fulfills both the ANSI Z136.1 Safe Use of Lasers and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) laser safety requirements for employees who routinely work with or who potentially could be exposed to Class 3B or Class 4 laser radiation.

This video informs viewers on a multitude of important concepts to ensure their safety in the field. It reviews the physics of a laser, the classification of lasers by hazard potential — Class 1M, Class 2, Class 2M, Class 3R, Class 3B, and Class 4 — and the definition and duties of a Laser Safety Officer. It discusses the two categories of laser hazards: beam and non-beam. It includes a clear explanation of labels and signs, specifically the new sign design and the grandfathering of the old sign designs in previous versions of the ANSI Z136.1. Viewers also receive information about control measures — from administrative and engineering, to personal protective equipment, as well as fiber laser applications. In addition, the video features revised information and footage of Class 1M and 2M military lasers.

“LIA included more information on fiber and diode lasers,” Jeannette Gabay, CAE, stated. “We also included clearer descriptions of the differences between signs and labels, as well as differences between regulatory agencies, such as FDA/CDRH and OSHA.”

These revisions will provide LSOs with an even more thorough training tool to ensure employees’ safety in the field. To further aid in the training process, LIA has created an additional facet to the Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards program – a quiz. This quiz gives LSOs the ability to effectively determine employees’ understanding of the video’s concepts and safety information. By implementing this new addition, LIA hopes to further increase the effectiveness of its training tool.

LIA members can purchase the single user product for $450 or the site license version for $850, while non-members can purchase the single user product for $495 or the site license version for $895.

To learn more about LIA’s well-known training tool or view a sample of the Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards, visit: www.lia.org/store/TRAIN/303_2016.

 

About LIA
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968.

www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553.

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Introducing LIA’s New Desktop Evaluator Software

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Orlando, FL (Jan. 29, 2016) – You asked and LIA responded! After the inception of the web-based Laser Safety Hazard Analysis System, The Evaluator, LIA created an alternative platform of the product – the Desktop Evaluator – to further meet the specific needs of Laser Safety Officers (LSOs) in the field.

Unlike the web-based Evaluator, the Desktop Evaluator will be available for purchase on a USB drive, from which users can download the software to their computer. Once it is stored on users’ PCs, LSOs will be able to perform a number of repeated calculations based on the ANSI Z136.1 American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers – including maximum permissible exposure (MPE), optical density (OD), nominal ocular hazard distance (NOHD), nominal hazard zone (NHZ) and laser hazard classification – without worrying about being connected to the internet. This feature will be especially beneficial for military users whose firewalls often restrict continuous access to online content.

The format of the Desktop Evaluator most closely resembling the advanced subscription level of the web-based Evaluator, continues LIA’s tradition of offering users an easy and seamless experience. The program’s accompanying User Guide, located in the Help menu, provides an overview of the program, from explanation of how to perform an evaluation to parameter descriptions and calculated results. Additionally, you can double-click any input parameters for an instant definition.

Similar to the web-based Evaluator, Desktop Evaluator users will be able to effortlessly switch between CW, Single Pulse, or repetitively pulsed lasers, as well as adjust the beam profile (circular, elliptical or rectangular). This simplified format allows LSOs to record a number of variables in the left-side panel – including wavelength, pulse width, focal length and more – which will yield final calculations on the right-side panel. In addition, intermediate calculations will be displayed throughout the process. The Desktop Evaluator also provides the classification of the laser and safety calculations for the eye and skin, including MPE, NOHD, NHZ, OD, Specular NHZ and Diffuse NHZ. Once these safety calculations are completed, users can print the report or save the information to a file for later review.

“The Evaluator Laser Hazard Analysis Software will benefit LSOs or companies that work with sensitive or classified laser systems where calculations must be kept within the control of the user,” according to LIA’s Education Director, Gus Anibarro. “This software is a standalone product, simple to use and simple to load on a computer. It will serve as a nice addition to the tools that a Laser Safety Officer needs for verifying hazard calculations.”

To learn more about the Desktop Evaluator, and to purchase a copy for your company, visit: www.lia.org/store.

 

About LIA
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553.

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Train Employees Easily & Effectively with LIA’s Updated Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards Video

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Orlando, FL (Jan. 20, 2016) – With the ever-increasing number of laser end-users, companies are continuously looking to implement cost-effective and efficient laser safety programs for new and current employees. In an effort to offer Laser Safety Officers (LSOs) the best training tools available, Laser Institute of America (LIA) has updated its 2009 Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards training video. LIA aims to provide the best methods for successful laser safety training in the constantly changing, fast-paced field of laser technology and has done so once again with the 2016 edition of Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards — now available for pre-order.

For years, the Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards DVD has provided LSOs with a training tool that is not only easy to administer, but also effective in properly training employees, researchers and students alike. Like its predecessor, the new version will still outline the important safety rules and regulations employees must know in the field. However, the latest edition of the video will now feature new footage and updated information to provide employees with the best safety training possible. In addition, LIA is continuing its tradition of striving to improve the training process – both for trainees and the LSOs tasked with the critical job of educating employees –  by offering both a DVD and a digital version with the purchase of the video. The digital version will be available for viewing at lia.org, where it will appear under users’ downloads.

Written and produced by LIA, Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards fulfills both the ANSI Z136.1 Safe Use of Lasers and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) laser safety requirements for employees who routinely work with or who potentially could be exposed to Class 3B or Class 4 laser radiation.

This video informs viewers on a multitude of important concepts to ensure their safety in the field. It reviews the physics of a laser, the classification of lasers by hazard potential — Class 1M, Class 2, Class 2M, Class 3R, Class 3B, and Class 4 — and the definition and duties of a Laser Safety Officer. It discusses the two categories of laser hazards: beam and non-beam. It includes a clear explanation of labels and signs, specifically the new sign design and the grandfathering of the old sign designs in previous versions of the ANSI Z136.1. Viewers also receive information about control measures — from administrative and engineering to personal protective equipment, as well as fiber laser applications. In addition, the video features revised information and footage of Class 1M and 2M military lasers.

“LIA included more information on fiber and diode lasers,” Jeannette Gabay, CAE, stated. “We also included clearer descriptions of the differences between signs and labels, as well as differences between regulatory agencies, such as FDA/CDRH and OSHA.”

These revisions will provide LSOs with an even more thorough training tool to ensure employees’ safety in the field. And, to further aid in the training process, LIA has created an additional facet to the Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards program: A quiz. This quiz — included in the DVD packaging — gives LSOs the ability to effectively determine employees’ understanding of the video’s concepts and safety information. By implementing this new addition, LIA hopes to further increase the effectiveness of its training tool.

The new Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards video will be available for purchase in early 2016. LIA members can purchase the single user product for $450 or the site license version for $850, while non-members can purchase the single user product for $495 or the site license version for $895.

To learn more about LIA’s well-known training tool, Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards, and to purchase a copy for your company, visit: www.lia.org/store.

About LIA
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553.

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ANSI Z136.6 Safe Use of Lasers Outdoors is Now Available!

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Orlando, FL (Jan. 5, 2016) – After ten years, the long awaited revision of the ANSI Z136.6 Safe Use of Lasers Outdoors is here! This standard, now available for purchase, sees updates to nearly the entire document – expanding and modernizing the established topics and sections.

The 2015 revision of the ANSI Z136.6 Safe Use of Lasers Outdoors is the premier safety standard and a necessary tool for anyone operating a laser system in an open-air environment. This newly revised document provides guidance for the safe use of potentially hazardous lasers and laser systems (180 nm to 1 mm), where the establishment of open beam paths is necessitated. When used in conjunction with the ANSI Z136.1 Safe Use of Lasers, the Z136.6 ensures that your outdoor laser applications are in conformity with the latest safety guidelines.

This latest edition was created with the goal to update, clarify, and streamline an already established, recognized standard to better reflect today’s outdoor laser operator’s needs.

Some of the changes to the 2015 edition include:

  • Single column format and index for improved readability and searchability, and color added to figures for ease of use.
  • Added definition of “Control Measures” with explanation of preferred categories.
  • Complete rewrite of the Control Measures section to include the removal of most manufacturer-specific requirements, and the addition of an expanded and standalone military-specific section.
  • Metric unit standardization across the standard means no more pesky conversions.
  • New definitions and expanded content for visual interference zones around airports and general critical tasks.
  • FAA coordination requirements clarified.
  • Laser hazard classification revised to include a comparison table between 2000 & 2014 version of ANSI Z136.1 and better explain the purpose and types of hazard classification.
  • General section and formatting updates to better reflect today’s jargon.

Order your copy today and be one of the first to own this long awaited revision of the ANSI Z136.6 standard. For more information, visit www.lia.org/store to see this and all the other ANSI Z136 laser safety standards.

About LIA
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553.

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ANSI Z136.6 Safe Use of Lasers Outdoors is Available for Pre-orders!

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Orlando, FL, Oct. 12, 2015 – After ten years, the long awaited revision of the ANSI Z136.6 Safe Use of Lasers Outdoors is almost here! This standard, now available for pre-order, sees updates to nearly the entire document – expanding and modernizing the established topics and sections.

The 2015 revision of the ANSI Z136.6 Safe Use of Lasers Outdoors is the premier safety standard and a necessary tool for anyone operating a laser system in an open-air environment. This newly revised document provides guidance for the safe use of potentially hazardous lasers and laser systems (180 nm to 1 mm), where the establishment of open beam paths is necessitated. When used in conjunction with the ANSI Z136.1 Safe Use of Lasers, the Z136.6 ensures that your outdoor laser applications are in conformity with the latest safety guidelines.

This latest edition was created with the goal to update, clarify, and streamline an already established, recognized standard to better reflect today’s outdoor laser operator’s needs.

Some of the changes to the 2015 edition include:

  • Single column format and index for improved readability and searchability, and color added to figures for ease of use.
  • Added definition of “Control Measures” with explanation of preferred categories.
  • Complete rewrite of the Control Measures section to include the removal of most manufacturer-specific requirements, and the addition of an expanded and standalone military-specific section.
  • Metric unit standardization across the standard means no more pesky conversions.
  • New definitions and expanded content for visual interference zones around airports and general critical tasks.
  • FAA coordination requirements clarified.
  • Laser hazard classification revised to include a comparison table between 2000 & 2014 version of ANSI Z136.1 and better explain the purpose and types of hazard classification.
  • General section and formatting updates to better reflect today’s jargon.

Pre-order your copy today and be one of the first to own this long awaited revision of the ANSI Z136.6 standard. For more information, visit www.lia.org/store to see this and all the other ANSI Z136 laser safety standards.

About LIA

The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553.