The most important laser cleaning safety basics include:
1. Laser Safety Enclosure
When operating a laser cleaner, the housing can help protect passers-by and operators from specular and diffuse reflections. When an access panel or door is open or a component is missing, a well-designed enclosure will prevent the laser from operating. Each setup should include an interlock mechanism to ensure that no one can enter the optical hazard zone when using the laser.
2. individual protective equipment
Not all jobs require a fixed housing - especially when using a portable laser cleaner. However, the use of lasers does require a designated hazardous area. When operating any power-cleaning laser without a housing, you should always wear laser protective eyewear - including anyone entering an optical hazard zone where the laser is used. The surrounding area should also be controlled and include signage to follow procedures. Usually, lasers produce focused wavelengths of light in a specific area, and with our laser sources, you should never let the laser emission come into contact with your eyes or skin. For the eye, this includes indirect contact, such as diffuse reflection, such as when laser emission bounces off a typical metal surface, or specular reflection, i.e. an optical mirror or an optically polished surface. Unlike other blast cleaning methods, gloves are not required if proper safety procedures are followed. Before operating any cleaning laser, you should be trained on how to properly use the laser and eliminate the risk of causing harm to yourself or others.
3. Other security measures
When cleaning harmful paint contaminants, such as lead or chromium-based paint, laser technology minimizes the risk of airborne contaminants. However, these contaminants are present in the air and need to be captured, which is why our equipment is designed to capture when you clean and is proven to be very safe. Other forms of media ejection that remove these dangerous layers end up polluting the air and can cause harm to the eyes, skin and lungs. But because the contaminants absorb the laser, break down into gases, and are then captured through our unique optical design and air filtration, the risk is essentially reduced. Our laser system may also require 480 V. As with any other electrical solution, you should always pay attention to proper electrical equipment locking or tagging procedures to prevent exposure. With proper training, you can minimize the risk of electric shock. Non-metallic products - including wood, paper and other combustible materials - can pose a risk of flammability if exposed to optical radiation for long enough. If the beam is out of focus, the material may begin to heat up to the point of combustion. It is best to remove combustible material from the laser ablated area before cleaning.
