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Safety Issues

When lasers are introduced into a healthcare environment, professionals must be prepared to address safety issues for both the staff and patient. Safe use of these systems requires an understanding of the engineering, training, and administrative requirements for all elements of a healthcare system as well as the risks associated with use of laser light.

All medical lasers are regulated and federal regulations require manufacturers to classify the medical laser system based primarily on its ability to cause damage to the eye and skin. This classification must be indicated on the laser system's label ranging from Class 1 (no hazard) to Class 4 (serious hazard).

Health professionals must be prepared to address safety issues for both the staff and patient.

Potential Hazards

  • severe eye injuries from direct or reflected laser beams
  • skin burns from the direct beam of surgical lasers when misdirected
  • respiratory hazards when breathing laser-generated airborne contaminants (LGAC)

In the next section, we will take a look at the possible solutions to protect yourself from medical laser hazards.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

3-5. What is a potential hazard associated with medical lasers?