The TALSO [Triangle
Area Laser Safety Officers] met at
II. Reviewed status of Action Items from
Last Meeting:
- Hitchcock e-mail Edwards with URL of
Army site, for posting [DONE & Posted]
- Edwards post AIHA URL [DONE]
- All e-mail Buschow [rbuschow@wpo.nccu.edu] with suggestions for TALSO bibliography for web site (e.g. Sliney
& Wolbarsht. Safety with lasers and other optical
sources. New York: Plenum Press, 1980); he'll compile list for posting;
ongoing
- Kretchman distribute draft questionnaire
for group review; done
- Kretchman, Edwards, Beasley & Hitchcock
meet off line to discuss more focussed effort; done
- Nguyen obtain copies of Simon's
alignment SOPs; ongoing
- Beasley contact Rich Greene to
investigate holding CLSO exam at CCCC in March - unknown
III. Update on Safe Beam Alignment Project
- Kretchman
Ken reported on meetings & discussions
of the Alignment project group, in which an overall framework within which to
organize the project has begun to emerge. The vision is to develop a
decision tree that will help generate an outline, hopefully leading to script
for a safety video, publications, etc. In addition, Tim Hitchcock is
reviewing the literature regarding accidents occurring during alignment.
Ken mentioned that there may be a teaching lab available in the off
season where we might stage some demonstrations. This group [Beasley,
Edwards, Hitchcock & Kretchman] will continue pursuing this project.
IV. NCSU's Laser Entryway Control
Engineering Standard - Kretchman & Rowland
Ken Kretchman & Will Rowland presented
their "Specification for Class IV Laser Laboratories". This
document provides NCSU laser users, Engineering, architects, etc. with
standardized guidance on laser safety control measures for labs housing class
IV lasers. In addition to specific recommendations on signage, entryway
controls, NHZ containment curtains, control circuits, and lab layout, this
Specification also accommodates considerable flexibility in setting up a laser
lab. Good job!
V. Any other business
- CLSO Exam held locally? not enough information available to resolve at this time.
VI. Schedule next meeting: sometime in
late April. We'll decide on exact date later.
Here's the brainstormed list of specific
discussion topics for upcoming meetings:
- Medical Surveillance (why, whom &
how much?)
- Entry way controls for class 4 systems
- Tracking high power diode lasers
- Appropriate fire-proof materials
- Handling multiple wavelength lasers
(e.g. Ti:Sapphire)
- Release of class 3b & 4 lasers into
surplus & unrestricted use
- Generate list of low-cost solutions to
laser safety challenges & "low hanging fruit" that get the most
impact for the least resource expended in laser safety programs