*LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Discuss all things diode hobby lasers. Project settings, materials, hardware, tips & tricks, etc.
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LAHobbyGuy
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*LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by LAHobbyGuy »

Hi all!

It has been brought to my attention that we don't have a topic on safety warnings on the Forum! So let's go ahead and talk for a minute about Lasers & Safety!

Disclaimer:
Advise given on this forum, by Rich F, The Louisiana Hobby Guy, or any of our members, employees or associates shall not be considered professional advice or a standard for safety or use. It is personal opinion, based on research, and the ultimate safety precautions when using a hobby laser are the responsibility of the end user!


GLASSES:
All laser glasses should meet or exceed the United Stated industry standard ANSI Z136.1. Glasses with CE Certified EN 207 (European Conformity) laser safety glasses are also okay to use. The glasses that come with your hobby lasers are NOT certified by either agency and should NOT be trusted as safe! Many of these glasses have been tested and proven NOT to work on the light spectrum of Violet/Blue/Red UV Lasers!
Use professional Laser Safety Glasses for 405nm,445nm,450nm,532nm,850nm Laser and 190nm-490nm Wavelength Violet/Blue/Red Laser Protection Goggles. This is a link to Amazon where you can buy these professional glasses.

FITMENT is extremely important when using safety glasses! There should be NO open areas around the glasses where the UV light can enter! If your glasses don't fit properly and have openings where the light can pass through, I would suggest getting some stick-on weatherstrip from your big box hardware store and customizing your glasses. The above glasses have both a good adult fitment as well as side shields to prevent the UV light from reaching your eyes.

Laser Shielding & Plexi Glass:
Class IV lasers (Hobby Diode) and other lasers (C02, Fiber & UV) are dangerous and can present a very real eye hazard, even over a long distance. NEVER use fabrics as a shield unless the fabric is specifically designed for laser use! The UV light can penetrate ALL fabrics very easily!

All class 4 acrylics must meet or exceed the United Stated industry standard ANSI Z136.1 for the appropriate laser systems. Tinted or colored glass or acrylic is NOT for use with a hobby laser, and will NOT protect your eyes at all! Please use a high Optical Density Acrylic (OD 3+). Here is a link to the most reasonable seller of OD 3+ approved shielding acrylic on the 250nm to 520nm light scale:
J TECH Photonics - League City, TX

Children & Pets:

Never allow children or pets in your laser shop while your laser is on or working!
Children have a natural compulsion to investigate anything new! If you have children in your home or shop, introduce them to the laser! Go over everything it can do and let them become familiar with it. Emphasize the dangers of the laser and explain to them the importance of never handling it! If you quell their curiosity, they'll be less likely to investigate it on their own. ADULT GLASSES WILL NOT PROTECT YOUR CHILD'S EYES!

Pets should never be allowed in the laser shop! There is no way to relay the dangers of the laser to a pet, and no way to protect their eyes!

Laser Fumes, Exhaust & Extraction:
Laser fumes can not only be an irritant, but they can also be dangerous & deadly! Engraving PVC for instance will emit chlorine gas! The same gas used in WWII to poison and kill soldiers! If you have not seen my spec-sheet on dangerous lasered materials, here's a link.

Exhaust is necessary to remain safe in your hobby! The best and safest way to use your hobby laser in the shop or home is with an enclosure. Some manufacturers are now selling custom enclosures, but you can either build your own, or repurpose another from a different craft, such as a plant grow tent, CNC or 3D printing enclosure.

Good repurposed enclosure ideas:
VIVOSUN 24"x24"x36" Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent - Will fit most hobby lasers and has a mylar layer to block UV rays
VEVOR Acrylic CNC Enclosure - 18.6"x21.3"x12.3"
SainSmart Large 3D Printer Enclosure - 20.9''x 24.2"x28.9"

Exhaust Ideas:
VIVOHOME 4 Inch 188 CFM Inline Duct Fan with 4 Inch Carbon Filter Control (Recommended)
iPower Flexible 4 Inch 8 Feet Aluminum Ducting 4 Layer Protection Dryer Vent Hose

If you're using an exhaust enclosure and venting to the outside of the building, please remember to protect children, pets & animals! Venting at 48" off the ground in a horizontal exhaust via a window is not the best solution. Through the roof ventilation is the best, but if you can't do this, you can buy a longer vent hose and run it up the side of your house or shop to a height of 8 feet or more with a few hose clamps, bending the last foot or two into a U-shape to prevent rain and debris from entering from above. Exhausting at a height of 8' or more will allow the toxic fumes to disperse safely into the surrounding environment. Using an in-line activated carbon filter is also preferred.

Fume Extraction & Air Purification:
If you plan on doing hobby or craft shows and demonstrating your laser or doing on-site custom jobs, you must have an extractor/air purifier on site! This is not optional! You must also use a high Optical Density Acrylic (OD 3+) enclosure to protect the eyes of the attendees.

Here is a link to an industrial air purifier designed for lasers on Amazon. It is a 106cfm Intake Fume Extractor for Laser Engravers. This smoke extractor continuously pulls in your machine's fumes and debris, running them progressively through its cotton, activated carbon, and aluminum-alloy filters to absorb all your work's harmful gases and unpleasant odors.

Laser safety is EVERYONE'S concern!
A laser is as safe or as hazardous as the user, and that user's knowledge and skill defines how well laser safety is managed.

Of all hazards, complacency is the most dangerous! It is imperative to develop a risk management perspective on laser safety, even though this may just be a hobby. Proper safety management requires a fourfold approach including: knowledge of standards, identification of hazards and risks, implementation of appropriate control measures, and consistent audits to demonstrate quality assurance.

Some of the key factors for implementing this risk management program in your home or shop are:
1) Maintaining the proper safety glasses for both you and any visitors to your shop
(Keep children and pets out of the laser shop!)
2) Having a fire extinguisher at every workstation or exit
(First Alert HOME1 Rechargeable Standard Fire Extinguisher UL Rated 1-A:10-B:C - for use at every exit
3) Proper exhaust of fumes and if possible, use an air scrubber on your ventilation
4) Proper maintenance of your equipment and clearing of debris
5) Using the proper shielding for the wavelength of your laser

I realize that some of things are expensive, but if you want to protect yourself and others, the investment in creating a safe environment is a responsibility, not an option! Please be safe in your hobby!

I have included a download of this document for those of you who wish to share it on other platforms. Stay safe and enjoy your hobbies!


Rich
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Re: *LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by ecsoftball »

Rich

Great information. This should be required reading for everyone who ventures into the laser world.
Thanks for all you provide.

Mark V
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Re: *LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by everythingiscopy »

Hi Rich -

Thank you for putting all of this together. I'm new to lasers and have been in "setup" mode for a number of weeks now and I would probably say that this is the time where safe laser operations are probably at their most lax. Making modifications, test firing for proper alignment and on and on, getting everything up and running is probably the main goal of all operators. I've already been "bitten" by my beam doing alignments. Yikes! Fortunately for me, it was a low-powered, unfocused beam. Alas!
Keep up the great work and thank you for having me part of the community.

Cheers!
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Re: *LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by klitzke333 »

I threw out the green glasses that came with my Ortur and bought some orange ones that go over my regular glasses, but they are probably not approved/tested like the ones above. Can anyone point me to good set of laser glasses that would go over my regular glasses? I can't see well enough with just laser glasses on.

Thanks,
Ken
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Re: *LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by LAHobbyGuy »

klitzke333 wrote: Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:44 pm ...Can anyone point me to good set of laser glasses that would go over my regular glasses? I can't see well enough with just laser glasses on.
I use the ones I linked and they work over my glasses.

Rich
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Re: *LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by newuser »

HI Rich,
Thank you so much for this wonderful blog and files. I'd been having difficulty getting information to get started with my hobby laser, for safety, software and settings.

I also threw out the glasses that came with the Laser Master 2 LU2-4-SF and was looking at getting proper ones. Unfortunately, the ones at the link you provided are not currently available. I'm looking instead at the following and wondered your opinion on them for this laser.

www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07DC6GYW8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

All the best!
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Re: *LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by LAHobbyGuy »

newuser wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 10:45 am ...Unfortunately, the ones at the link you provided are not currently available. I'm looking instead at the following and wondered your opinion on them for this laser.
No, those are on the 1100nm scale. You need the 445nm.
This link worked for me today:
https://amzn.to/3yXVlET

Rich
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Re: *LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by newuser »

Thank you for the reply...Is it not 190nm-550nm and 800nm-1100nm? so would include 450nm?

The link works to show the item but you can't buy them. I'm in Canada so trying to get from the .ca site. Much appreciated!
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Re: *LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by LAHobbyGuy »

newuser wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 12:56 pm Thank you for the reply...Is it not 190nm-550nm and 800nm-1100nm? so would include 450nm?

The link works to show the item but you can't buy them. I'm in Canada so trying to get from the .ca site. Much appreciated!
Yes, the ones you originally posted don't cover 445nm. Any glasses that are in the 445 range AND certified will work. 1100 will not.

Rich
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Re: *LASER SAFETY WARNINGS*

Post by Laserius »

newuser wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 12:56 pm Thank you for the reply...Is it not 190nm-550nm and 800nm-1100nm? so would include 450nm?

The link works to show the item but you can't buy them. I'm in Canada so trying to get from the .ca site. Much appreciated!
Out of curiosity, I looked and found the glasses available on the .ca site - BUT they are charging 3X as much as in the U. S. A. !

Will Amazon ship to Canada from the US site ?
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