Main Relevant Legislation (Medical Laser Safety, Eng/Wales)
Any comments or recommendations given in the course of our Laser Protection Adviser (LPA) services are made with regard to the legislation listed below.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
The Control of Artificial Optical Radiation at Work Regulations 2010
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
The Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002
The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 and associated guidance (England: Applies to surgical lasers or treatments of disease, disorder or injury)
The Care Standards Act 2000, Independent Health Care (Wales) Regulations 2011 and associated National Minimum Standards for Private and Voluntary Health Care Services in Wales 2011 (Applies to private sector healthcare in Wales only)
The Independent Health Care Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 and associated Standards (2014) (Applies to private healthcare in NI only)
The London Local Authorities Act 1991 (applies to premises using non-surgical therapeutic lasers in London)
Nottinghamshire County Council Act 1985 (applies to premises using non-surgical therapeutic lasers in Nottinghamshire)
Standards
Additionally, several European safety standards may be referenced to ascertain the parameters such as exposure limits and hazard distances. e.g:
BS EN 60825-1:2014 Edition 3, Safety of laser products, IEC 2014
BS EN 60601-2-57:2011 Medical electrical equipment - part 2-57 particular requirements for the basic safety and essential performance of non-laser light source equipment
International safety consultancy work has lead to a knowledge of some of the American standards, which also contain additional useful information such as diffuse reflection data.
ANSI Z136.1 - Safe Use of Lasers
ANSI Z136.3 - Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care
Guidance
HSE Guidance for Employers on the AOR 2010
HSENI Guidance for Employers on AOR 2010 (NI)
There is a fair amount of third party guidance and information available on the internet etc. Probably the best known guidance document is published by the MHRA (DB 2008(03) Guidance on the safe use of lasers, IPL systems and LEDs). This has some very useful information (e.g. laser plume) but is unfortunately now out of date in some areas.
Lasersafe Information Leaflet - Legal Requirements for Salons and Clinics
If you have appointed a Laser Protection Adviser, they will usually be able to help with any questions or information regarding laser/IPL safety.