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Laser Safety Officer course

ILDA offers a Laser Safety Officer - Lasershows course, intended for persons working in the field of laser light shows and displays. It comprehensively covers lasershow-specific content and safety requirements.

The course takes about eight hours. There is a test at the end of the course. If you pass the test, you receive a Certificate of Completion stating that you attended the LSO-Lasershows course.

Because the ILDA course does NOT cover industrial, medical, scientific, or other types of laser usage, our LSO training is only valid for persons working with laser show safety.

For persons outside the U.S., note that the material on laser safety is international. However, the course only covers U.S. regulations and notification requirements.

Current schedule

As of April 2013, the LSO-Lasershows course is being given as follows:

• Before the ILDA Conference in Aalen, Germany on Monday, 4 November 2013. The LSO course fee for ILDA Members is $560 through 31 July, and $660 August 1 or later. The course fee for non-Members is $835 through 31 July, and $935 August 1 or later. For any persons who have previously taken, but not passed, the LSO course, the re-take fee is $65 -- note that you can only re-take once at this lower price. All LSO fees in Aalen include lunch and breaks.
   
• We are tentatively scheduled for the SELEM laser enthusiasts meeting in Newton, NC for August 2013. Additional information on registration will be
   
• Custom courses are available in Orlando, Florida or at your location. Course rates depend on the number of persons taking the course at the same time. If outside of Orlando, rates would be higher to cover the instructor's travel and accommodations costs.

You can register for any active, upcoming courses at the ILDA Online Store.

Meets ILDA Professional, Arizona and ANSI requirements

ILDA's LSO-Lasershows course has been designed to meet three important requirements.

• ILDA's course meets the requirement for ILDA Professional (IAPLC) accreditation. For IAPLC, at least one person in the company must have satisfactorily completed a Laser Safety Officer course. (Note that IAPLC also accepts LSO courses from any recognized provider, such as Rockwell Laser Industries and the Laser Institute of America.)
   
• ILDA's course also meets Arizona state requirements for Laser Safety Officers.
       Specifically, Title 12, Chapter 1 of the Arizona Administrative Code lists in Appendix D three main areas which must be covered. Arizona's top laser regulator has told ILDA that applicants must train on subjects which are applicable to them. ILDA's course covers all areas applicable to laser light shows.
       Further, ILDA has been told that it is "sufficient if the registrant can supply the [Arizona Radiation Regulatory] Agency with documentation that the LSO has been taught in these subjects" and "show[s] proof of training in all subjects listed." ILDA's Certificate of Completion provides this proof to all who satisfactorily attend and complete the final course test.
   
• Finally, ILDA's course meets ANSI Z136.1 "Safe Use of Lasers" LSO training requirements in the areas applicable to laser light shows.

Course instructor and materials

Primary instructor for the course is Greg Makhov, ILDA Safety Chair and instructor at LSO courses from other providers. The course includes a PowerPoint presentation with over 200 slides and a 70-page comprehensive printed summary/review.

The course does NOT include copies of copyrighted standards such as those from ANSI, IEC or NEC. If you do not have these, you are urged to purchase them separately.

List of ILDA LSO certificants

Congratulations to the following persons who took the ILDA LSO-Lasershows course, successfully passed the test, and received a Certificate of Completion!

The LSO class of November 4, 2012, receiving recognition
 during the ILDA Awards Banquet at the 2012 Conference in San Antonio

ILDA LSO course content

(1) For user personnel routinely working on or around lasers:

(a) Fundamentals of laser operation (physical principles, construction, etc.)

(b) Bloeffects of laser radiation on the eye and skin

(c) Significance of specular and diffuse reflections

(d) Non‑beam hazards of lasers (electrical, chemical, reaction by‑products, etc.)

(e) Any ionizing radiation hazards

(f) Laser and laser system classifications

(g) Control measures

(h) Overall responsibilities of management and employee

(i) Medical surveillance practices

(j) The need for CPR training for personnel servicing or working on lasers with exposed high voltages and/or the capability of producing potentially lethal electrical currents

(2) For the LSO or other individual responsible for the laser safety program, evaluation of hazards, and implementation of control measures, or any others if directed by management to obtain a thorough knowledge of laser safety:

(a) The topics listed in section (1) above

(b) Laser terminology

(c) Types of lasers, wavelengths, pulse shapes, modes, power/energy

(d) Basic radiometric units and measurement devices

(e) MPE levels for eye and skin under all conditions

(f) Laser hazard evaluations, range equations, and other calculations

(g) IEC, ANSI and U.S. regulations. Regulatory requirements in non-U.S. countries will be reviewed but at this time (summer 2010) are not extensive.

(3) Technical considerations (Arizona note: ILDA's course does NOT include Intense Pulsed Light or IPL devices. Arizona regulators have stated to ILDA that this is OK for laser show producers and operators, since they do not use IPLs.)

(a) Laser device descriptions

(b) Defnitions

(c) Laser device radiation fundamentals

(d) Laser mediums and types of lasers (includes information regarding diodes and solid, liquid and gas laser devices)

(e) Biological effects of laser light

(f) Damage mechanisms
     i. Eye hazard
     ii. Skin hazard
     iii. Absorption and wavelength effects
     iv. Thermal effects

(g) Photo chemistry

(h) Photosensitive medications are NOT covered as this is an IPL consideration

(i) Criteria for setting the Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) levels for eye and skin associated hazards

(j) Explosive, electrical and chemical hazards

(k) Fire, ionizing radiation, cyrogenic hazards and other hazards as applicable.