Product Code: ILSC2009_1401

Alignment Eyewear, the LSO's Role
Authors:
Ken Barat, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab; Berkeley CA USA
Presented at ILSC 2009

There is no direct mention of alignment eyewear in the present Z136.1 Safe Use of Laser-2007 document. The use of alignment eyewear is known by the majority of LSOs for the visualization of visible beams. Especially when one considers the alternative of removing ones eyewear to see the beam. Remote viewing is the superior and safer alternative, but is still not as common as lifting ones eyewear to see the beam. The point of this presentation is by allowing the use of alignment eyewer the LSO is allowing the user to use personnel protective equipment (PPE) that does not lower the transmitted beam to be below MPE, which violates the ANSI standard requirements. Because of that fact the LSO should on a case by case base authorize the use of alignment eyewear. This authorization should be based on a site visit not just laser beam output. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory approach and recommended guidelines will be reviewed during this presentation.