Occupational Hazards of Laser Material Processing

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dreffer R ; Jander S ; Rockwell RJ Jr. ; Wilson RM
• Description:
  The occupational hazards associated with laser materials processing are reviewed. Industrial laser materials processing users were surveyed and the nature and scope of use were defined. Tabulated sales projections for industrial laser applications over 8 years are presented. Numbers, types and applications of laser use are given. Processes and materials for which laser applications are outlined. Types of lasers used for various operations, breakdown of laser types, wavelengths for the most common laser types, laser safety measures, and accidents reported also are given. General safety practices are discussed. A study on the degradation of polymers by carbon-dioxide lasers is described. The respiratory hazards of particles from laser interactions with metals are discussed, and tabulated data is included on respirable particles produced by various materials and on the weight per laser pulse of captured material. Safety considerations, potential hazards, and recommended safety practices are described. The authors conclude that hazardous gases can be produced in carbon-dioxide cutting of plastics. Sufficient quantities of respirable particulates are released during ruby laser drilling of metals to constitute a hazard. Proper ventilation is required for laser material processing systems to reduce these hazards. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Hazardous Substances Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Radiation Safety
• Keywords:
  Combustion-products Industrial-hygiene Laser-radiation NIOSH-Grant Occupational-medicine Personal-protective-equipment Toxic-gases
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-36
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00115376
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB89-186530
• Citation:
  College of Medicine of the University of Cincinnati 1976 May; :1-36
• Contact Point Address:
  Dermatology Cincinnati General Hospital Dept of Dermatology Cincinnati, Ohio 45229
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1976
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19721001
• Source Full Name:
  College of Medicine of the University of Cincinnati
• End Date:
  19750131
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9e6491b433637164a640256c015722994a73ff125569f56b958dcbc2de121c1ac4b0750a1c5bdc7ef94ab0a8f21aeac25d8b5b862e7de5146087e98372b5c6d2
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/217704/cdc_217704_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.23 MB ]