RE: Calling all laser experts

["Leonowich, John A" <john.leonowich@pnl.gov>]

You are absolutely correct that these Class 3a lasers are potentially an ocular
hazards, and are not meant for use by children.

The seminal paper on the safety hazards of these lasers has just been published
in the Journal of Laser Applications, 10, 4 (August 1998) by Rockwell, Ertle,
and Moss entitled "Safety Recommendations for laser pointers".

I have a limited number of reprints - first come first served.

Regards

John A Leonowich
Battelle PNNL

	-----Original Message-----
	From:	elizabeth_algutifan@wssrap-host.wssrap.com
[SMTP:elizabeth_algutifan@wssrap-host.wssrap.com]
	Sent:	Thursday, October 29, 1998 5:44 AM
	To:	Multiple recipients of list
	Subject:	Calling all laser experts

	Hey Radsafers,

	I took my kids to the mall here in St. Charles last night.  My older son
had
	been begging me for a week to get him a "cool laser" to use on Halloween
night
	("All the other kids have one, Mom," he pleaded).  The first gift shop
we came
	to had some key chains hanging near the cash register.  My son
immediately
	recognized them as laser key chains, so I picked one up and looked at
it.  It
	had a warning label that said it was a Class IIIa, red laser in the
660-680 nm
	wavelength range.  It said "Keep out reach of children" (not my typo; an
import
	I guess) and "Do not point directly in the eyes" (well, yeah, that makes
sense!)
	 It was selling for $14.99.  I did not buy it for him (because I know
someone
	will ask).  Of course, I know that these key chains are becoming very
popular
	among school children, as are laser pointers and other types of laser
devices
	that are sold over the counter in some retail stores.  Our local school
district
	has just made a rule forbidding children to bring any type of laser
devices to
	school under any circumstances.  A child at my kids' school was just
suspended
	for bringing a laser pointer to class (a third grader).

	Now, my question is, isn't a Class IIIa laser a pretty severe ocular
hazard? And
	what can we as health physicists do about it?  I'm no expert in this
field, but
	the bits and pieces I've read from studying for the CHP exam indicate to
me that
	it's an immediate ocular hazard if intrabeam viewing occurs.  I'd like
others'
	thoughts on this issue; I was so upset last night about these things
being in
	plain view in retail stores (and at a child's eye level) that I was
thinking
	about calling up the FDA.  This seems to be a significant acute
radiation issue
	to me, that you folks will be interested in.  I hope I'm not
overreacting, and I
	think I am not.  Thanks for the help and advice.

	Elizabeth Algutifan,
	Environmental Health Physicist
	WSSRAP
	St. Charles, MO
	Elizabeth_Algutifan@wssrap-host.wssrap.com

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