How to build a laser welding safe space in your workshop?

Laser Welding Safety Concerns

Laser safety is about the safe design,

Laser safety is about the safe design, use and implementation of lasers to minimise the risk of laser accidents, especially eye injuries. Even relatively small amounts of laser light can lead to permanent eye damage.

Moderate and high-power lasers are potentially hazardous as they can burn the retina of the eye and sometimes the skin or start a fire. To control the risk of injury, various specifications are used to define ‘classes’ of laser depending on their power and wavelength. Regulations also prescribe required laser safety measures such as labelling lasers with specific warnings and wearing laser safety glasses or goggles when operating lasers.

Eye : Acute exposure of the eye to lasers of certain wavelengths and power can cause corneal or retinal burns (or both). Chronic exposure to excessive levels may cause corneal or lenticular opacities (cataracts) or retinal injury.
Skin : Acute exposure to high levels of optical radiation may cause skin burns; while cancer may occur for ultraviolet wavelengths (290-320 nm). None of our Laser machine emits UV- light!
Chemical : Some lasers require hazardous or toxic substances to operate (i.e., chemical dye, Excimer lasers).
Electrical : Most lasers utilize high voltages that can be lethal.
Fire : The solvents used in dye lasers are flammable. High voltage pulse or flash lamps may cause ignition. Flammable materials may be ignited by direct beams or specular reflections from high power continuous wave (CW) or pulsed infrared lasers.

Specific Controls and actions to take for the use of Class 4 Lasers

What do we need to consider when building a laser safety zone?

Class 4 lasers are required to have:

 specific safety protocols including remote interlock

 beam stop or attenuator

 warning signs and labelling

 elimination of specular reflections

 use of eye protection where there is a potential eye hazard

 use of protective clothing

 requirement for medical examination immediately if there is a suspected injury

 provision of appropriate training on safe use of equipment including maintenance

 safe work procedures for control of hazards

Considerations for workshop and laboratory design for class 4 lasers include:

 no windows

 an area for storing protective eyewear

 key locks to prevent unauthorised and unprotected personnel from entering

 a non-defeatable door interlock

 signs at entrance to lab/workshop

 laser beam path must be enclosed

 beams must be positively terminated

 laser work area must be free of unnecessary specular surfaces

 curtain materials must be fire resistant

 a clearly visible power cut-off switch which kills power to the laser

 a warning light must be located outside of the lab door to indicate when the laser if firing

 other controls as necessary

Specialized Benefits and Requirements of Laser-Welding Rooms and Laser-Welding Enclosures

Safe and conducive modular laser-welding rooms require a few key factors that distinguish them from other structures and construction environments. This is due almost entirely to the high temperatures required for the welding process and the potential risks associated with them.

Full room laser enclosures create a complete laser-safe environment:

Special glass windows rated to specific welding equipment.
Specialized high-performance HVAC systems that can accommodate heat loads produced by laser welders.
Specially designed entry doors with safety interlocks that work in conjunction with the laser welder to halt welding immediately upon opening.
Safety alert warning lights visually warn room occupants and those in nearby proximity that the laser welder is in use.
Light switches for the laser room are on the outside wall by the door, so control is reserved to entry and exit.

Laser enclosures are needed to house laser workstations, which serve as a protective barrier for personnel outside of the enclosures from the laser process. To meet requirements, options include:

Walls made of fire retardant materials - Traditional vinyl gypsum modular wall panels can still be used.
An open design that could utilize existing lighting and sprinkler systems - Traditional LED lights can still be used.
Laser safety glass windows where required