Regulations and links to further information on coherent optical radiation

Radiation exposure is evaluated against a series of regulations and the limit values contained within them. In order to achieve standardized (workplace) measurement of optical radiation use is made of associated standards.

Legal regulations:

• EU Directive 2006/25/EC (PDF, 803 KB, non-accessible) (artificial optical radiation)
• Verordnung zum Schutz der Beschäftigten vor Gefährdungen durch künstliche optische Strahlung (OStrV, German Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance on artificial optical radiation, in German only)
• 2006/42/EC: Machinery Directive (recast of Directive 98/37/EC) (in German only)
• Technical specifications of lasers serving as or forming parts of consumer products Section 5 of the German Product Safety Act (ProdSG)
• Technische Regeln zur Arbeitsschutzverordnung zu künstlicher optischer Strahlung - TROS Laserstrahlung (Technical Rules under the German OSH Ordinance on Artificial Optical Radiationin, German only)

Informative documents:

• DGUV Information 203-042 Auswahl und Benutzung von Laser-Schutz- und Justierbrillen (selection and use of laser protection and adjustment glasses, in German only)
• DGUV Information 203-036 Laser-Einrichtungen für Show- oder Projektionsanwendungen (laser equipment for show or projection applications, in German only)
• DGUV Information 203-039 Umgang mit Lichtwellenleiter-Kommunikations-Systemen (LWKS) (use of fibre-optic cable communication systems, in German only)
• DGUV Information 203-093 Handlungshilfe für die Gefährdungsbeurteilung beim Betrieb von offenen Laser-Einrichtungen zur Materialbearbeitung mit Handführung oder Handpositionierung (HLG) (guidance for risk assessment relating to the operation of open laser equipment for material processing involving manual guidance and positioning, in German only)
• DGUV Grundsatz 303-005 Ausbildung und Fortbildung von Laserschutzbeauftragten sowie Fortbildung von fachkundigen Personen zur Durchführung der Gefährdungsbeurteilung nach OStrV bei Laseranwendungen (initial and further training of laser protection officers and further training of skilled persons for performance of the risk assessment in accordance with OStrV for laser applications, in German only)
• Handlungshilfe zu den Technischen Regeln "TROS Laserstrahlung" (PDF, 3,5 MB, non-accessible) (Guidance on the TROS technical rules concerning laser radiation, in German only)
• EN 60825-1: Safety of laser products - Equipment classification and requirements
• EN 60825-4: Safety of laser products - Laser guards
• EN ISO 11553-1: Safety of machinery - Laser processing machines - Laser safety requirements
• EN ISO 11553-2: Safety of machinery - Laser processing machines - Safety requirements for hand-held or hand-operated laser processing machines
• EN 12254: Screens for laser working places - Safety requirements and testing
• EN 207: Personal eye-protection equipment - Filters and eye-protectors against laser radiation (laser eye-protectors)

Links to further information:

• BG ETEM Fachkompetenzzentrum "Strahlenschutz" (Institute of Radiation Protection, in German only)
• BGHM: Laserstrahlung (laser radiation, in German only)
• Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)