RE: Calling all laser experts

[Alan Watts <wattsa@oak.cats.ohiou.edu>]

Mr. Leonowich,

Would you still have any of the reprints you discuss below that you could
send me?  Thank you in advance one way or the other.

Alan Watts
RSO
Ohio University
EH&S
Hudson Health Center
Athens, Ohio  45701
wattsa@ohiou.edu


>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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