Laser Safety Products > Laser Safety Standards

Laser Safety Standards

These standards are the definitive guides on laser safety in Europe and beyond and as such are essential reference material for Laser Safety Officers and laser product designers.

See also:
The Laser Classification System
Changes to IEC 60825-1
Laser & LED Testing

NEW!
Revised European and International Laser Safety Standard
(available in IEC or EN versions)

IEC 60825-1:2001
''Safety of laser products Part 1: Equipment classification, requirements and user's guide'

This is the fundamental laser safety document* to which all other laser safety documents* refer. It defines Maximum Permissible Exposures (MPEs), Accessible Emission limits (AELs), laser classes and measurement conditions, labelling, engineering controls etc. The manufacturer's section is mandatory for all laser products sold in Europe. The users guide is advisory. The recent issue of Laser Notice 50 (see below) by the FDA increases the importance and use of this standard and effectively makes it the worldwide laser safety standard.

NB The IEC version is identical to the EN version.
For information on the differences between this standard and the 1994 version see 'Changes to the laser safety standard'.

* Except for USA

BS EN 60825-1:2001
''Safety of laser products Part 1: Equipment classification, requirements and user's guide'

This is the EN version of the above standard published by BSI. This is word identical to the IEC standard.

Note that BSI refers to the BS EN version as BS EN 60825-1:1994, published Sept 2002. This edition includes amendments 1, 2 and 3. Amendment 1 is a typographical correction which exists as an amendment only in the BS EN version. Therefore amendments 2 and 3 are known as amendments 1 and 2 respectively in all other countries.

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Fibre Optic Communication System Laser Safety Standard (available in IEC or BS EN versions)

IEC 60825-2:2000
BS EN 60825-2:2000
'Safety of laser products Part 2: - Safety of optical fibre communication systems'

To be used in conjunction with IEC 60825-1 this standard defines the laser safety requirements for manufacturers and users of fibre optic communication systems. It defines Hazard Levels, labelling and engineering controls including Automatic Power Reduction (APR).

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Laser Protective Eyewear Standard

BS EN 207:1999
'Specification for filters and equipment used for personal eye-protection against laser radiation'

This is a manufacturers standard. However, it is also required by users in order to be able to specify the correct eyewear and to interpret the markings on the eyewear which give its specification. The 'L' numbers and other testing requirements are specified.

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FDA Laser Notice 50 - Free

Click here to download

The USA has always had its own regulation on lasers (known as 21 CFR 1040.10). This is a USA government regulation (rather than a standard) and is written into US law. However, it has not been updated for about 30 years and is consequently very out of step with the IEC / EN standard. Manufacturers exporting to or from the USA have therefore had to classify their products to two different standards with different labelling, engineering requirements and sometimes with different Classifications.

Issued on 27 May 2001 this notice informs laser product manufacturers that the US FDA will now accept IEC classification and labelling. This greatly simplifies the compliance task for manufacturers selling to both markets. There are still some extra requirements for the USA, which are outlined in this notice and in 21 CFR 1040.10

Please note that all laser products must still be registered with the FDA prior to entry into the USA. This is done by submitting a Laser Product Report to the FDA. Lasermet specialise in compiling and submitting such reports. Click here for FDA Registration.

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USA Laser Product Regulation 21 CFR 1040.10 - Free

Click here to download

The section above on 'laser notice 50' explains the relationship of this regulation to the IEC standard. Manufacturers may still wish to classify products sold in the USA to 21 CFR 1040.10. In any case parts of it are still required under laser notice 50.