For Laser Welding/Cleaning and Industrial Laser Safety Officers

This new laser safety officer/supervisor offering of our level 2 qualitative laser safety courses is tailored to the needs of those working with laser welders, laser cleaners, laser cutters and engravers, as well as other lasers used for industrial, manufacturing, mining and construction use.  The course is specifically tailored for these industries and has reduced content compared with our full level 2 laser safety courses that retain a broader range of technical and application content required for transportability across all laser fields including research and development, defence, academia, etc. If you are unsure which Level 2 LSS course to do, see . This option is suitable for:

• Those requiring a laser safety officer/supervisor qualification level for the laser welding/cleaning and industrial laser field, even those new to the field with a non-laser background or undertaking endeavours traditionally not done with lasers.

• Those who don’t need the cross-industry portability and the extra complexity of our full Level 2 laser safety course.

• Those undertaking endeavours traditionally not done with lasers or new to the field who are considering the full Level 2 qualification but want a more industry-specific introduction.

The Radiological Council of Western Australia recognises that successful completion of Opticum’s Level 2 Laser Safety Officer course delivered with edVirtus for any person seeking to obtain this qualification in Western Australia and exempts the applicant from having to sit the Council’s licencing examination.

This is a new laser safety officer/supervisor offering at our level 2 qualitative skillset but restricted to those working with industrial lasers such as laser welder, laser cleaners, laser cutters and engravers, and other lasers used for industrial, mining and construction use. This course is specifically tailored to the need of these industries and has reduced general content compared with our standard level 2 laser safety courses that require a broad range of technical and application content required for transportability across all laser fields including research and development, defence, academia, etc. See Level 2 LSS qualification, see “Which laser safety course should I do?” if you are unsure which course to do. This option is suitable for:

• Those requiring laser safety officer/supervisor qualification level for the laser welding/cleaning & industrial laser field, even those new to the field with a non-laser background or undertaking endeavours traditionally not done with lasers.

• Those who don’t need the cross-industry portability and the extra complexity of our full Level 2 laser safety course.

• Those undertaking endeavours traditionally not done with lasers or new to the field who are considering the full Level 2 qualification but want a more gradual industry-specific introduction.

Course Aim

The aim of this course is to provide a basic level of understanding of the principles of laser safety practice to meet the needs of Australian/International standards for a laser safety supervisor (LSS) or laser safety officer (LSO2) and (Day 1) industrial operator laser safety. The Level 2 Laser Safety (Industrial) – Two-Day course is to provide a qualitative level of understanding of the principles of laser safety practice to meet the needs of Australian/International standards for a laser safety officer or laser safety supervisor for industrial applications (e.g. laser welders, laser cleaners, laser cutters and engravers). The course provides a non-mathematical treatment of lasers and laser hazards limited to industrial applications. It introduces laser radiation generation, emphasising the differences between conventional light sources and laser sources in order to provide a general understanding of the unique hazard potential. The course looks at workplace safety legislation, and how it relates to laser use in the various regulatory jurisdictions, identifying how laser safety standards apply in this context. Additionally, the course focuses on the application of specific laser safety standards in the industrial workplace and the requirements for appropriate policies and procedures. Through real world examples the course introduces laser safety terminology, the roles of the laser safety personnel, and an introduction to the Australian Standards AS/NZS IEC 60825.1:2014; the AS/NZS IEC 60825.14:2022; and laser safety practice in the workplace.

The industrial laser safety officer/supervisor course provides a non-mathematical treatment of lasers and laser hazards. The first day of the course is equivalent is our stand-alone industrial level 3 operator laser safety course and the combined day 1 and day 2 provides a coverage to the industrial level 2 laser safety course, both courses tailored for the industrial environment, so are not intended to be transportable to non-industrial fields.  

Although not transportable to non-industrial fields rather, this course could be used as a stepping stone to our full level 2 laser safety course which provides a non-mathematical coverage of the broader field of general laser safety and as such is applicable to all industries, see Level 2 Laser Safety for details.

Course Outline

2 day LSS/LSO (and 1 Day Industrial Operator LSC) Course Outline: Day 1 is the operator laser safety course which has its own assessment open to both groups (Operators and LSS/LSO). It provides operators with the laser safety knowledge required to work with hazardous lasers and LSS/LSO with the foundations that are built on during the second day. Additionally, knowledge of operator’s skillset is of value to the LSS/LSO when managing safety. Day 2 extends the material covered on day 1 to provide a deeper understanding required to perform LSS/LSO duties.

Day 1

Introduction to lasers: Awareness of the basic principles of laser operation and the differences between conventional light sources and laser sources in relation to their hazard potential to the eye and skin | Awareness of laser safety terminology and laser classes.

Operator laser safety in the workplace:  Awareness of laser hazard controls and workplace safety | Awareness of legislation including how lasers fit in to various regulatory jurisdictions, plus the role of AS 2397:2015 and laser safety standards | Awareness of existence of laser safety officers and their role | Hierarchy and roles of laser safety personnel including likely interactions with operators | The practical application of controls and procedures in the industrial laser workplace.

Introduction to laser hazards: Awareness of the hazards posed by lasers | Awareness of laser hazards both beam and non-beam | Awareness of the laser classification system and the implication of these classifications.

Introduction to laser safety standards: awareness of AS/NZS IEC 60825.1:2014 & AS/NZS IEC 60825.14:2022 and their relevance | Expected controls in the industrial workplace | Operator considerations in relation to laser protective eyewear.

Hazards and safety for specific applications (optional): Awareness of different modern industrial laser applications | Awareness of application specific laser hazards common and unique | Awareness specific application controls and procedures.

Discussions plus Q & A: to close out day 1, time is allowed for more detailed two-way discussions of other specific examples and questions on the course content or other applications that may be relevant to participants.

Tutorial: At the end of each section there is an instructor lead tutorial. At the end of the day further online tutorials are provided for the participants to consolidate the material and to help prepare for the assessment.

Operator LSC test: At the conclusion of the day 1 of the course a confirmatory test is provided for those participants and/or their sponsors to confirm the industrial operator laser safety level competence for awarding of the qualification. Thus, a certificate identifying successful completion of the course, if a passing mark is achieved, will be provided.

 Day 2

Understanding Lasers: Principles of laser operation, why lasers are hazardous, what are the important parameters and why they are relevant to industrial laser safety officer level.

Laser Safety in the Workplace: Overview of industrial workplace safety legislation and risk management, how lasers fit in to various regulatory jurisdictions, plus the role of AS 2397:2015  | The laser hazard classification scheme and different roles of key laser safety standards in meeting regulatory compliance | The practical application of controls and procedures in the industrial laser workplace | The roles of the laser safety officer and laser safety supervisors in an industrial workplace | Practical examples of laser safety management in both indoor and outdoor industrial applications.     

Laser Safety Standards and Principles: A brief overview of the standards AS/NZS IEC 60825.1:2014 and AS/NZS IEC 60825.14:2022 | Discussion of laser hazards both beam and non-beam related including bio-effects | Approaches to management of laser hazards using the laser safety standards, default approach vs tailored approach | Detailed discussion on use and selection of laser protective eyewear, includes sample sets.

Some Typical Hazardous Situations & case studies: A brief qualitative discussion of relevant real-world scenarios or lasers. Discussion includes non-assessable quantitative values for context.

Tutorial: At the conclusion of the course work, an instructor lead tutorial is provided to participants consolidate the material and to help prepare for the assessment.

LSS/LSO test: At the conclusion of the Industrial Level 2 Laser Safety Course a confirmatory test is provided for those participants and/or their sponsors to confirm proficiency in the non-mathematical treatment of industrial laser safety practice for awarding of the qualification. A certificate will be provided for those who successfully complete the course, if a passing mark of 85% is achieved.

Course Material

The following resources will be provided to attendees of this course:

1. Course notes will be provided (printed and online).