This September, Fermilab has the honor of hosting two safety workshops with participants from around the world.
Matt Quinn
Both of these laser pointers look the same, but only one of them meets the 5-milliwatt-maximum requirement. Photo: ESH&Q A recent Nature paper describes the cases of five children in the UK who received eye injuries as a result of playing with laser “toys.” These children, between the ages of eight and 15, suffered reduced vision and had identifiable damage to their retinas. All reported playing with these so-called toys before their eye problems began. In the United States, the…
Both of these laser pointers look the same, but only one of them meets the 5-milliwatt-maximum requirement. Photo: ES&H There are potentially significant hazards associated with laser pointers. High-power laser pointers can cause permanent eye damage in less time than it takes to blink. To avoid injuries, people should use laser pointers with a power output of 5 milliwatts or less. Unfortunately, anyone can buy a laser that exceeds 5 mW thinking he or she is getting an FDA-compliant device….