IEC - International Electrotechnical Commission

	IEC 60825-1 Safety of laser products - Part 1: Equipment classification, requirements and user's guide Buy IEC Collections Online subscriptions to multiple documents on various subjects Info To speak with an IHS Subject Matter Expert call 1-888-752-0334, outside the US/Canada call 303-397-2892. More Top IEC Standards...

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

Scope
IEC 60825-1 is applicable to safety of laser products. For convenience it is divided into three separate sections: Section One (General) and the annexes; Section Two (Manufacturing requirements); and Section Three (User's guide* ).

A laser product may consist of a single laser with or without a separate power supply or may incorporate one or more lasers in a complex optical, electrical, or mechanical system. Typically, laser products are used for demonstration of physical and optical phenomena; materials processing; data reading and storage; transmission and display of information; etc. Such systems have found use in industry, business, entertainment, research, education and medicine. However, laser products which are sold to other manufacturers for use as components of any system for subsequent sale are not subject to IEC 60825-1, since the final product will itself be subject to this standard.

Throughout this part 1 light emitting diodes (LED) are included whenever the word "laser" is used.

See also annex G which describes information which should be provided by manufacturers of LEDs.

Any laser product or LED product is exempt from all further requirements of this part 1 if

• classification by the manufacturer according to clauses 3, 8 and 9 shows that the emission level does not exceed the AEL of Class 1 under all conditions of operation, maintenance, service and failure, and
• it does not contain an embedded laser or embedded LED.

In addition to the hazards resulting from laser radiation, laser equipment may also give rise to other hazards such as fire and electric shock.

This part 1 describes the minimum requirements.

Where a laser system forms a part of equipment which is subject to another IEC product safety standard (e.g. for medical equipment (IEC 60601-2-22) IT equipment (IEC 60950), audio and video equipment (IEC 60065), equipment for use in hazardous atmospheres), this part 1 will apply in accordance with the provisions of IEC Guide 104**, for hazards resulting from laser radiation.

However, if the laser system is operable when removed from the equipment, all the requirements of this part 1 will apply to the removed unit.

If no product safety standard is applicable, then IEC 61010-1 shall apply.

The MPE (maximum permissible exposure) values of this part 1 were developed for laser radiation and do not apply to collateral radiation.

However, if a concern exists that accessible collateral radiation might be hazardous, the laser MPE values may be applied to conservatively evaluate this risk.

The MPE values shall not be applicable to patient exposure to laser radiation for the purpose of medical treatment.

NOTE Annexes A to D have been included for purposes of general guidance and to illustrate many typical cases.

However, the annexes must not be regarded as definitive or exhaustive and reference should always be made to the appropriate ciause(s) in Sections One to Three.

Object
To protect persons from laser radiation in the wavelength range 180 nm to 1 mm* by indicating safe working levels of laser radiation and by introducing a system of classification of lasers and laser products according to their degree of hazard.

To lay down requirements for both user and manufacturer to establish procedures and supply information so that proper precautions can be adopted.

To ensure adequate warning to individuals of hazards associated with accessible radiation from laser products through signs, labels and instructions.

To reduce the possibility of injury by minimizing unnecessary accessible radiation and to give improved control of the laser radiation hazards through protective features and provide safe usage of laser products by specifying user control measures.

To protect persons against other hazards resulting from the operation and use of laser products.

Normative references
The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this part of IEC 60825. For dated references, subsequent amendments to, or revisions of, any of these publications do not apply. However, parties to agreements based on this part of IEC 60825 are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the normative documents indicated below. For undated references, the latest edition of the normative document referred to applies. Members of IEC and IS0 maintain registers of currently valid International Standards.

• IEC 60027-1:1992, Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology- Part 1: General Amendment 1, 1997
• IEC 60050(845): 1987, international Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) - Chapter 845: Lighting
• IEC 60601 -2-22: 1995, Medical electrical equipment - Patt 2: Particular requirements for the safety of diagnostic and therapeutic laser equipment
• IEC 60825-2:2000, Safety of laser products - Part 2: Safety of optical fibre communication systems
• IEC 61 010-1 :2001, Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use - Part 1: General requirements
• IEC 61 040: 1990, Power and energy measuring detectors, instruments and equipment for laser radiation
• IS0 1000:1992, Si units and recommendations for the use of their multiples and of certain other units