Visible Laser Systems, Line Lasers or Laser Display Class 1?

We repeatedly receive requests for a line laser or another laser positioning aid for Laser Class 1. In today’s blog article, we would like to briefly comment on this topic.

A laser system of Class 1 would mean that only very little laser light reaches the worker, user or operator, and that direct exposure to laser light only occurs under very controlled conditions. The laser standard specifies explicit power levels here, which can certainly be achieved with many line lasers. In principle, a laser system can of course be designed in such a way that Laser Class 1 applies for the viewer. However, this depends mainly on the structural measures at the workplace, as well as on the power of the line laser used AND the beam angle.

Example: Class 1 line laser

At a workplace, a line laser with an original Class 3B classification (>5 mW) is used to mark an alignment edge. This alignment edge is located in the middle of the worktable. A line laser or cross line laser is installed in such a way that, under normal circumstances, a worker or user cannot look directly into the laser radiation, but only at the diffuse projection on the workplace itself. The reflected radiation reaching the viewer’s eye is almost zero, meaning practically not measurable. In this case, the laser system could be specified as Laser Class 1.

Example 2: Class 1 line laser

The same example as before. We use a smaller line laser with a power of 5 mW and a “normal” beam angle of 30° or greater. After the minimum distance of 10 cm specified by the laser standard, we therefore reach power levels that correspond to Class 1. In this case as well, the laser system can and may be specified as Class 1.

Another example: NOT Laser Class 1, but Class 2

The same workplace as described above. The line laser is mounted relatively high and projects onto the workplace. The worker could look into the direct beam, but would not be exposed to radiation above the so-called “MPE” (Maximum Permissible Exposure). How the respective MPE is determined has already been described in another article. In this case, the laser system would have to be specified as Class 2, which is also fully permissible without requiring major measures or even a laser safety officer.

Laser positioning aid using a laser projector

The same principles also apply to a laser positioning aid using a laser projector, such as the ILP 722 from MediaLas.

As long as a worker or user cannot be hit by direct laser radiation and the diffuse reflection is in the non-measurable range, the laser system can be classified as Laser Class 1. This would be the case, for example, in the photo examples mentioned above. For qualified statements and safety assessments of your machine or laser system, please feel free to contact us.