6/29/2017 EHLS Radiation Safety Contact Numbers • EHLS Main Line (713) 743‐5858 Radiation Safety Office • UHPD (Emergencies) (713) 743‐3333 Environmental Health & Life Safety Department • Radiation Safety Officer University of Houston (713) 743‐5867 (RSO) • Assistant RSO (713) 743‐5870 713‐743‐5858 ONLINE HANDOUTS: • Safety Specialist (713) 743‐5860 www.uh.edu/ehls/train/course‐info/eh23 www.uh.edu/ehls WHY ARE YOU HERE? Introduction • High powered lasers are capable of causing severe injuries • However, they are used for teaching and research at UH 1. COMPLIANCE – State of Texas regulations • Possession and use is regulated under a Certificate of Registration from Texas Department of State Health Services 2. SAFETY – keep yourself and others safe • Laser Safety Program assists with safety and regulatory compliance from laser radiation effects • Laser Safety Course provides safety education to help users work safely with high powered lasers and maintain compliance with 3. KNOWLEDGE – Ignorance leads to unsafe regulations governing laser usage. work practices 1
6/29/2017 Course Outline REGULATORY AGENCIES • Introduction & Course Objectives • Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) (Agreement State) • Laser Safety Program at University of Houston • Basics of Lasers and Laser Light • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) • Laser Hazard Classification • Food and Drug Administration (FDA) • Hazards Associated with Lasers (Laser Beam Injuries) • Laser Safety Regulations and Standards • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • Laser Hazard Analysis & Laser Control Measures • UH Laser Program Requirements (Administrative Controls) • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) • Basic Rules Working with Lasers • Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Laser Safety Program UH RADIATION SAFETY MANUAL UH RADIATION SAFETY MANUAL • Sets forth controls and safety guidelines for research and teaching using Required reading for all Laser Principal Investigators and Users. lasers • Organization: Describes the Laser Safety Program at the University of Houston. • VC/VP of Research & Technology Transfer • Radiation Safety Committee Assists personnel, students, and management to understand and comply • Laser Safety Officer with Texas State laser regulations. • EHLS Radiation Safety Staff Not a fully comprehensive reference. • Principal Investigators (PIs) & Authorized Users (AUs) Consult the Laser Safety Officer for further advice. • Laser registration, Training requirements for AUs and PIs • Program Enforcement for Non‐compliance http://www.uh.edu/ehls/research‐ lab/radiation‐safety/manual/ 2
6/29/2017 TRAINING REQUIREMENTS PI RESPONSIBILITIES • All PIs and AUs of lasers MUST attend • Enforce laboratory safety requirements and pass the UH classroom course EH23‐ • Inform laboratory personnel of potential hazards Laser Safety. • Adopt and post written safety guidelines (SOPs) in the laboratory, as necessary. • Test ‐ Requires at least 70% to pass. • Ensure laboratory personnel complete required training. • Provide necessary personnel protective equipment (PPE). • Completion is not enough to become an Authorized User and start laser work. • Ensure laser is used properly. • Provide prompt notifications to EHLS Radiation Safety in case of: • You must be specifically added by your Principal Investigator to the Laser • Spills, incidents, or accidents Subregistration! • New or missing lasers (procurement, donations, disposal, etc.) • Authorized User additions, deletions, or transfers • Refresher Trainings – Required annually for all PIs and AUs for lasers. Course is • Laboratory relocation, additions or deletions available online at www.uh.edu/ehls/training/eh23w/ • Wavelength or power changes/ proposed modification to lasers • Laser procedure changes NOTICE: The online UH General Lab Safety Course (EH06) is also a requirement for ALL lab workers at UH! http://www.uh.edu/ehls/training/eh06/ AU RESPONSIBILITIES LASER PERMIT PROCESS PI notifies LSO of PI completes PI submits • Work safely with the laser you are intent to use application for application to RSC Laser Laser Sublicense (via LSO) approved to use at approved labs. • Comply with all laser regulations, and follow laser SOPs. Interim or final PI facilities/labs Final Installation RSC approval setup for Laser Review for • Wear and appropriately store laser safety glasses. obtained use approval • Complete refresher laser safety training on an annual basis. • Report any unusual events to your PI and/or EHLS • All laser use at the UH must be approved by the RSO and authorized by the RSC. immediately. • Subregistration application must include all lasers, user names, and locations, intended use procedures. 3
6/29/2017 LASER PERMIT PROCESS • Add/delete a new laser use lab Location Changes A • Move laser use to different lab M E • Add a new Authorized User User Changes N • Delete an Authorized User BASICS OF LASERS AND LASER D • Add a laser M Laser Changes E • Delete a laser LIGHT N • Implement a new experiment T Procedure Changes process for the laser • Authorized PIs making changes to their Laser Sublicense must submit a Sublicense Amendment Form for review by the RSO. • The Laser Safety Officer submits all amendments to the Radiation Safety Committee for approval. • Anyone not trained AND listed on the Laser Permit MUST NOT be allowed to work with Class 3B or 4 Lasers for any reason! LASER ACRONYM WAVE NATURE OF LIGHT Wavelength Blue: = 400 nm Light is an electromagnetic wave. Different wavelengths in the visible spectrum are seen by the eye as different colors. Red: = 700 nm 4
6/29/2017 ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM CHARACTERISTICS OF LASER LIGHT HIGH INTENSITY MONOCHROMATIC DIRECTIONAL COHERENT The combination of these three properties makes laser light more intensely focused than ordinary light Lasers operate in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared portions. These properties make laser light different from the output of ordinary Lasers in each spectral region present unique safety challenges light sources. Laser-Professionals.com Laser Light Properties Safety View of Laser Light Characteristics Divergence When light emerges from the laser, it does not diverge (spread) very much at all. Thus • Each laser light characteristic reduces the size of the focused spot. the energy is not greatly dissipated as the beam travels. • Monochromatic light focuses better than light of multiple wavelengths. Monochromatic Laser light is very close to being monochromatic. The term “monochromatic” means • The more directional a beam is, the smaller the focal spot. one color, or one wavelength, of light. Actually, very few lasers produce only one wavelength of light. • Coherent light interferes constructively to intensify the focal spot Coherence • The lens of the eye concentrates laser light on the retina by as much as 100 Coherence is a term used to describe particular relationships between two wave forms. Two waves with the same frequency, phase, amplitude, and direction are termed spatially coherent. times more than ordinary light. High Intensity • Thus, relatively low levels of laser light can produce significant eye Laser light can be very intense, more than normal light, i.e. higher energy and power. hazards . 5
6/29/2017 LASER COMPONENTS ACTIVE MEDIUM Optical Resonator Solid (Crystal) Gas Output Active Beam Semiconductor (Diode) Medium Liquid (Dye) EXCITATION High Reflectance Output Coupler Mirror (HR) Mirror (OC) MECHANISM Excitation Mechanism BASIC LASER COMPONENTS Optical Electrical Chemical The Active Medium contains atoms which can emit light OPTICAL by stimulated emission. RESONATOR The Excitation Mechanism is a source of energy to HR Mirror and excite the atoms to the proper energy state (PUMP) Output Coupler The Optical Resonator reflects the laser beam through the active medium for amplification. Laser-Professionals.com Mechanisms of Stimulated Emission Stimulated Emission Under certain circumstances, a photon incident upon a material can generate a second photon of Excited Atom Incident Photon • Exactly the same energy (frequency), Phase, Polarization, Direction of Stimulated photon‐ propagation same wavelength, same direction and in • In other words, a coherent beam resulted. phase ˜ Albert Einstein, 1917 6
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