Principal Investigator

Operations of Class 3B and/or Class 4 Lasers must be performed under the supervision of a Principal Investigator (PI) whereby such operations must be first approved by the Laser Safety Officer (LSO). Principal Investigators and laboratory supervisors oversee the safety and health of their laboratory personnel. They may delegate safety duties, but they must make sure all delegated safety duties are carried out. The approved PI can be a faculty or staff member knowledgeable in the operation of laser(s). If you intend to use Class 3B and/or Class 4 Lasers in your research areas, you must first inform the LSO prior to the possession or operation of of lasers.

Registration and PI Responsibilities

• Register all Class 3B and/or Class 4 Lasers with Laser Safety Officer (LSO) using Laser Registration Form. Please complete a separate form for each laser in your current laser inventory and return to LSO.  

• Develop a written Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) describing your lab/laser specific procedures and precautions including the alignment procedures related to Class 3B and/or Class 4 lasers in your inventory. Complete Lab-Specific Laser Safety Procedures page of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in full detail and submit it to LSO for approval.

• Ensure no individual operates the laser in any manner other than that prescribed in the SOP.

• Identify all laser users with potential to use the laser or to be present during laser operations and assure that everybody receives both online General Laser Safety Training and Site-specific/On-the-job Training prior to working in the lab. Complete a Certificate of Training Form for each laser user and maintain a copy of training documentation in the lab.    

• Complete Laser Safety Self-Audit/Inspection Form once a year, submit it to LSO to prepare for annual laser safety inspections.

• Post signs and inform personnel of both potential laser and non-beam hazards.

• Provide appropriate eye protection for persons working with Class 3B and/or Class 4 Lasers. For assistance in determining the appropriate Optical Density (OD), complete Laser Safety Hazard Evaluation form and return it to LSO.

• Contact LSO for approval if any procedure, maintenance or alignment requires access to the laser beam with any local component of the system disassembled or removed.

• Maintain all laser safety-related records (i.e., laser safety training, laser safety manual, inspections/ audits, incident/accident investigations for each employee).

Audits

Upon installation, the LSO will do an initial audit of all Class 3B and/or Class 4 Lasers to verify demonstration of compliance. Laser audits can also be requested and conducted on an as needed basis. Consequently, if there are changes in the initial configuration, number, or type of local components in the system, maintenance requiring the disassembly or removal of a local component in the system, and any time a visual inspection of the local components in the system reveals an abnormal condition, the LSO should be notified in order to conduct an audit.  

After the initial LSO audit, it is expected that the PI will conduct an annual self-audit of each of their laser system. The completed Laser Safety Self-Audit/Inspection Form must be submitted to the LSO shortly thereafter for review and potential follow-up inspections.