As we prepare to celebrate National Safety Month in June, we want to highlight the importance of laser safety with a series of laser safety focused blogs starting this month. One of LIA’s missions includes fostering laser safety worldwide. We do so by offering online, classroom & in-house laser safety courses. To learn more, click here.
Are you looking for ways to show your commitment to a higher standard of laser safety?
Do you want to prove to your current or future employer that you possess the knowledge to lead a laser safety program?
If this sounds like you, read on to find out more about the Certified Laser Safety Officer (CLSO) exam offered by the Board of Laser Safety (BLS).
“For professionals working around lasers, becoming certified by the Board of Laser Safety (BLS) is one of the highest credentials a laser safety officer (LSO) can earn,” said Laser Focus World Magazine.
LIA collaborates with BLS to enhance laser safety professionals’ knowledge and commitment to laser safety. The BLS is a non-profit, whose mission is to provide a means for improvement in the practice of laser safety by providing opportunities for the education, assessment, and recognition of laser safety professionals.
With the ever-growing demand for laser safety professionals and the competitive nature of roles within this field, determining how you will stand out among candidates in your career is imperative. LSO certification can be a pivotal resource for those looking to better complete the tasks in their current role or gain security in their current position and move into a position of more responsibility.
Certification is designed for those who are working in a role as a Laser Safety Officer (LSO) or a position supporting an LSO. Whether you work in a military, research, technical, or industrial application of laser use, this certification will show that you are equipped with the knowledge and ability to manage a laser safety program.
Once certified, you must attain 10 certification maintenance (CM) points over each 3-year certification cycle in order to renew your certification. LIA offers many opportunities for CM points. You can gain these points by attending our International Laser Safety Conference (ILSC), taking select LIA courses or volunteering for various laser safety publication projects.
If you are interested in becoming certified, visit www.lasersafety.org or call 407-985-3810.
Laser safety professionals: It’s time to step outside of your routine. Learn from the foremost laser safety experts and discover resources that you can bring back to your organization at the 2017 edition of the International Laser Safety Conference (ILSC).
ILSC brings together many of the brightest minds and seasoned industry specialists from across the globe. From March 20-23 in Atlanta, GA, you can join your fellow laser safety professionals in attending presentations on the latest research and insights regarding safety standards and technical developments. By learning from peers and professionals, you’ll also become a better representative at your job or organization for ensuring safety with lasers per OSHA/ANSI standards.
Explore more of the benefits of ILSC below.
Benefits for Medical Laser Safety Officers and Laser Safety Officers
The Laser Institute of America has gathered together top members of the medical and scientific communities to give presentations during the four-day event. Medical Laser Safety Officers and Laser Safety Officers can deepen their knowledge of scientific developments; find solutions for dilemmas commonly encountered in day-to-day work; learn potential risks related to laser use and exposure, and critically examine the future of laser applications.
Professionals in the medical, military, government, environmental and insurance industries will all benefit from the Scientific Sessions and Practical Applications Seminars. In addition to networking between seminars, the seminars provide a unique opportunity to hear from those working using lasers in medical and technical fields and applying their experience to identify potential pitfalls with dangerous equipment.
What to Expect from the Medical Seminars
MLSOs can attend presentations and walk away with valuable insights that they can immediately apply to day-to-day tasks. With cutting-edge medical laser safety presentations, attendees from a variety of backgrounds will also have the chance to expand their scope of laser safety knowledge.
Learn about plume hazards, physics, and tissue interaction. Gain command of OR precautions by attending presentations on setting up a safety program, ethical dilemmas, and accidents. Make sure your understanding of current standards is up-to-date with upper airway guidelines, AORN practices, and ANSI standards.
What to Expect from the Technical Seminars
The Technical Practical Application Seminars are geared toward Laser Safety Officers but provide information that is applicable for other industries as well.
Brush up on topics such as laser safety in the workplace, determining Nominal Hazard Zones, eye protection recommendations and identifying mandatory control measures. Improve your ability to gauge situations where laser use may become dangerous. Find out which regulations apply directly to you and how you can control non-beam hazards.
Fuse Theory and Practice with Complementary Seminars
Each of these practical seminars along with the scientific sessions join together seamlessly to give you a foundation for determining and maintaining laser safety standards. As you find out about new and innovative products, research and analyses, you will expand your perspective of laser safety across industries. Each attendee has the chance to take these insights back to their own workplace and identify future problems and ways to improve current safety protocol.
The world’s leading conference on laser safety returns in 2017, drawing professionals from a variety of industry backgrounds ranging from nurses and applications engineers to researchers and even government and military personnel. LIA’s biennial International Laser Safety Conference (ILSC®) will be held on Mar. 20-23, 2017 at the Sheraton® Atlanta Airport Hotel in Atlanta, GA, with the goal of educating laser safety personnel on everything from bioeffects research to the best practices for Laser Safety Officers (LSOs).
Successfully prepared again by General Chair John O’Hagan of Public Health England, ILSC 2017 is comprised of three main parts: Laser Safety Scientific Sessions (LSSS), Medical Practical Applications Seminar (MPAS) and the Technical Practical Applications Seminar (TPAS). When asked about the value that ILSC brings to its attendees, O’Hagan said that the conference “provides a unique opportunity for both experienced laser safety specialists and newcomers to get together over four days. It attracts attendees from around the world, so that experiences can be shared, lessons learned and hopefully workplaces containing lasers are safe.”
A new addition to this year’s ILSC are the two Opening Plenary speakers who are both clinicians. “Jacques Abramowicz will speak about the World Health Organization task to develop Basic Safety Requirements and Fundamental Safety Principles for non-ionizing radiation, including laser radiation. Jeff Luttrull, who is an expert in diseases and surgery of the retina and vitreous, will talk about how lasers can be used to prevent blindness,” remarked O’Hagan.
Every year, the LSSS addresses developments in regulatory, mandatory and voluntary safety standards for laser products and laser use. Chaired by Karl Schulmeister of Seibersdorf Laboratories, he emphasizes that the ILSC Scientific Sessions will continue to cover the most important topics to its attendees — including laser product safety, bioeffects, injury thresholds for the varying tissues of the eye and skin, as well as eyewear, outdoor lasers, high power lasers, materials processing and broadband incoherent radiation.
Dr. Schulmeister also noted that there are many first-time presenters contributing to the LSSS this year, “which shows that the interest and the ‘discipline’ of laser safety is ever growing and developing — away from the historical main interest in user precautions to the safety of products, particularly of consumer products which will be soon ubiquitous.”
The Medical and Technical PAS are designed to complement the Scientific Sessions by exploring everyday scenarios that the LSO and MLSO could encounter. The Medical PAS is a two-day seminar that will take place Mar. 20-21 and be Co-Chaired by Kay Ball (Otterbein University) and Certified Medical Laser Safety Officers (CMLSOs) Vangie Dennis (Emory Healthcare), Patti Owens (AestheticMed Consulting International), and Leslie Pollard (Southwest Innovative Solutions, Inc.), who have constructed this seminar around the theme of Laser Safety: More than Smoke and Mirrors. The MPAS will be particularly useful for MLSOs who work in operating rooms, surgical centers, aesthetic clinics and medical spas.
“Day one will include pertinent information regarding the hazards of surgical smoke and plume. The latest research will be presented,” stated Owens. “Analyzing the toxicity of surgical plume, the impact of chronic exposure to second hand smoke, recommended respiratory protection, new international initiatives and organizations, along with future legislation for management of this health hazard.”
Owens went on to add that “the second stimulating day will focus on management of collimated medical devices with exciting lectures addressing new applications of innovative laser technology, retinal and corneal injuries from exposure to lasers and Intense Pulsed Light, veterinary utilization of medical laser devices, Low Level Light therapy and PDT. Also, the role of the laser safety officer and how to produce positive safety outcomes for both staff and patient will be explored.”
According to Kay Ball, “ILSC 2017 offers learning and networking opportunities to help health care professionals meet the challenges of laser technology. Advancements and exciting new information will be highlighted, while experts will be able to share their knowledge and experiences.”
The two-day Technical PAS, on Mar. 22-23, is expected to provide LSOs with the knowledge they need to address more common laser safety issues and concerns for day-to-day operations in manufacturing, research and product development, as well as laser safety training and program setup. Co-Chairs and Certified Laser Safety Officers (CLSOs) Eddie Ciprazo (UC Berkeley) and Jamie King (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), are focusing on just that with the motif of Back to the Basics – Laser Safety 101.
Topics covered in the Technical PAS will range from determining Nominal Hazard Zones (NZH) to laser eye protection selection to what regulations apply. This seminar will start off on Wednesday with So You are the LSO, Now What? and will conclude on Thursday with Resources for the LSO, Don’t Reinvent the Wheel. The newest and most anticipated addition to this year’s TPAS will be an open forum panel discussion with the FDA.
According to King, LSOs of all experience levels will leave this seminar with a variety of valuable information. “From basic optics to cutting edge technologies and everything in between, it’s here.”
Additional highlights at ILSC include the Welcome Reception on Sunday, Mar. 19 at 4pm and the Awards Luncheon, taking place on Monday, Mar. 20 at 12pm. This two hour luncheon includes the presentation of the Wilkening and Rockwell awards. The Wilkening Award is being presented to Wesley J. Marshall of Laser Safety Specialties, recognizing his outstanding contributions to laser bioeffects research, development of human exposure limits and safety standards, and to applied laser safety. This year, the Rockwell Award is being bestowed on none other than ILSC General Chair John O’Hagan, for his outstanding contributions to laser safety education.
Attendees can expect plenty of networking opportunities at ILSC, promises O’Hagan. “Those new to laser safety can hear from world experts and build up their networks. Experienced laser safety professionals get the opportunity to hear about the latest research on bioeffects and practical solutions to laser safety problems. Having attended ILSC, you become part of a community, which can provide guidance and support throughout your laser safety career.”
In addition to attending the seminars, the CLSO/CMLSO Appreciation Reception will be another great opportunity to hear first-hand from certified laser safety professionals. Taking place on Monday, Mar. 20, this reception honors LSOs with 10+ years of certification. Anyone with certification or an interest in LSO certification is welcome to attend.
Another networking opportunity for attendees to take advantage of is the Sponsor Reception on Tuesday evening, Mar. 21, from 5-7:30pm. This is the perfect time to interact with key safety companies including longtime Platinum Sponsors Honeywell Safety Products and Rockwell Laser Industries; Gold Sponsors ASC Z136, Kentek Corporation and Lighting Systems Design, Inc.; Silver Sponsors Buffalo Filter and Engility Corporation; and Bronze Sponsors BEAMSTOP’R Laser Barriers, Inc., Laser Safety Systems, LASERVISION USA, NoIR LaserShields, Ophir-Spiricon LLC and RT Technologies Inc.
“We look forward to welcoming friends to Atlanta for ILSC 2017,” says O’Hagan. “If you haven’t been before, make sure you say hello!”
For more information and to register for ILSC 2017, visit www.lia.org/ILSC.
The Laser Institute of America LasersToday.com Weekly Wrap-Up aggregates industry news, conference updates, and LIA happenings. Here is the latest:
Laser Industry News
The Board of Laser Safety (BLS) released a new website, designed to create a user-friendly platform for laser safety officers to stay up-to-date with laser safety and certification news. The new site includes an easy-to-read news feed, a powerful cloud-based server, and an intuitive, responsive design, providing the best user experience for laser safety officers. The BLS website will continue to provide information on two certifications- Certified Laser Safety Officer (CLSO) and Certified Medical Laser Safety Officer (CMLSO). Find out more about the new website here.
Could Direct Metal Sintering be used to fight bacteria in medical implants? Researchers are currently researching the potential of adding layers of antibacterial agents, such as a novel phase-transited lysosome, in the creation of titanium implants. Despite the biocompatibility of Titanium, it is not uncommon for bacteria to find a home around an implant. This can lead to loosening, detachment, and even infection of the implant area. Learn more about the research here.
Science Alert reports that researchers have developed a laser using water and light. Overcoming the water wave oscillation that has proven to be a challenge in the past, the researchers used a small device which used “an optical fiber to deliver light” to a drop of octane and water. The light then interacted with the waves of water, moving back and forth until enough energy was built up for the light to emerge from the droplet. Find the original article here.
Conference News
Laser Additive Manufacturing Workshop (LAM) will take place February 21-22, 2017 in Houston, Texas. LAM features presentations from researchers and industry leaders pertaining to the use of additive manufacturing. This year will feature a new session on micro/nano laser additive manufacturing research. Register today here.
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The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the international society for laser applications and safety. Our mission is to foster lasers, laser applications, and laser safety worldwide. Find us at www.lia.org
The Board of Laser Safety (BLS) is excited to announce the launch of its new website at www.lasersafety.org.
The new website provides a user-friendly platform for both medical and non-medical laser safety officers to stay up-to-date with the latest laser safety and certification news. This reflects the mission of the BLS, which is to “provide a means for improvement in the practice of laser safety by providing opportunities for the education, assessment, and recognition of laser safety professionals.”
The new website offers many convenient features, including:
Easy-to-read news feed that allows for timely releases of critical laser safety information.
Powerful cloud-based server that ensures speed and deliverability to all visitors.
Intuitive, responsive design that is easily navigable on all devices.
The new BLS website will continue to provide information on two types of certification – Certified Laser Safety Officer (CLSO) and Certified Medical Laser Safety Officer (CMLSO). Gaining BLS certification will enhance the credibility of a designated laser safety officer; it shows that the individual has the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the job of LSO. It demonstrates the individual’s commitment to the job as well as validate an employer’s commitment to a safe working environment. For more information on BLS certifications, please visit www.lasersafety.org/about-bls/what-is-certification.
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) supports the BLS’ mission by offering laser safety training for both LSOs and MLSOs. As the professional society for laser applications and safety, LIA is dedicated to serving the industrial, medical, research and government communities worldwide. For more information on the LIA, visit www.lia.org or call 1-800-34-LASER today.
