Post by ray on Apr 5, 2020 22:12:51 GMT
Lasers are grouped into four hazard classes, with class 1 being largely nonhazardous and class 4 lasers presenting the greatest danger. Staring into the beam of a class 2, 3 or 4 laser can burn the retina — the tissue at the back of the eye that enables us to see — and if the burn is serious enough, the damage can be permanent. The strongest lasers — class 4 — can even cause vision damage if a person stares into the beam's reflection. But there are other laser hazards workers need to be aware of, including fire. On January 20, 2007, workers at a Los Angeles dermatology office laid a laser on a countertop — which then caught fire!
