Bioeffects and safety primer for excimer laser uses.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Moss E
• Description:
  Biological effects and safety issues associated with using excimer lasers were discussed. The general characteristics and uses of excimer lasers were summarized. Excimer lasers typically produce short pulses of high energy ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the 193 to 351 nanometer (nm) wavelength range. They had been used to remove (ablate) predictable (targeted) amounts of nonbiological and biological materials. Excimer laser radiation can remove components in the skin such as melanin without damaging or other skin components. The results of studies examining the biological effects of excimer laser radiation on skin and other biological material were summarized. Studies investigating the effects of 193 and 248nm excimer laser radiation have found that irradiation at 248nm causes cell damage. In-vitro studies have also shown that irradiation at 248nm is more mutagenic than at 193nm. Safety issues associated with using excimer lasers in the workplace were discussed. The author recommends adopting more stringent precautions when using radiation with wavelengths shorter than 250nm because humans have little natural protection for radiation at these wavelengths. Using increased skin protective measures, developing and making available protective clothing with a tighter weave (to screen out UV radiation) and having higher ablation thresholds, and designing eyewear that can withstand potential excimer laser radiation etching effects are also recommended. Fully protecting the face is important because during ablation, excimer lasers can eject potentially hazardous or toxic materials considerable distances from the original site. Various gases that have been used to produce excimer lasers can also present occupational safety problems. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Eye Mutagens Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Protective Clothing Radiation Safety Sense Organs Skin Ultraviolet Rays
• Keywords:
  Pulsed-lasers; Laser-radiation; Biological-effects; Safety-practices; Nonionizing-radiation; Skin-protection; Mutagenesis; Ultraviolet-radiation; In-vitro-studies; Eye-protection
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Kentucky ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  41-43
• Volume:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00232425
• Citation:
  Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Newsletter, Frankfort, Kentucky 1990 Jan; 2:41-43
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1990
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Newsletter, Frankfort, Kentucky
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7dc847c09aedf140bc731323e8446b4703641ae07d6ad9e7b7238120dab30b8f7dcaa9b938d34d035f87873a0fe7fec262d5d13dcaf290925445e82b6de3b57d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/243463/cdc_243463_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 168.02 KB ]