Introducing featured AGM24 Speaker, Dr. Karl Schulmeister, one of the world’s experts on Laser Safety and Global Regulations will kick off the educational portion of the meeting with a review of current regulations and ongoing committee work and anticipated updates.
Dr. Schulmeister’s talk and topics to be covered follows:
Update on Photobiological Safety Standards
The current (early) status of the planned update of IEC 62471-5 for the photobiological safety of projectors will be discussed. An important issue is to attempt to harmonize this standard with the FDA Laser Notice 57 for sources smaller than 11 mrad. A reduction factor might be necessary in the standard for classification of projectors (RG2 vs RG3) as it is given in LN57. Up to now, in the early stage of the discussion, it appears acceptable not to apply the reduction factor for the determination of the hazard distance and only apply it for the classification of the projector, performed at 1 m distance. A new work item for the amendment of Part 5 is to be issued after the August IEC meeting. Project leader is Mr. Casey Stack.
The revision of IEC 62471:2006 is still ongoing. It is important that this base standard also supports and is harmonized with Part 5 (the current IEC 62471 is still based on the previous version of the retinal thermal limits). It is a possibility that the formal position of adhering to the ICNIRP guidelines will be followed, which would mean that the future IEC 62471 might not even have a reduction factor for the retinal thermal limits as it is discussed for Part 5. This project is about to be re-started as IEC project with a new work item proposal coming up.
The new IEC 62471-7:2023 will be briefly mentioned, since it is the appropriate standard for the photobiological safety of laser illuminated stage lights.
The planned update of subclause 4.4 of the laser standard IEC 60825-1, for the 4th Edition of IEC 60825-1 (currently in an early draft stage) will be given. Based on subclause 4.4 it is permitted that the output of laser illuminated projectors are classified under IEC 62471-5 and not under the laser classification system.
Finally, the free e-book “Optical Radiation – Radiometry and Safety Limits” will be introduced.
The LIPA Annual General Meeting (AGM24) will take place on Thursday, November 21, 2024 at Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City in Universal City, CA! Please consider joining us. Visit our site here for further information on the event and here for a complete list of speakers.
