Laser safety Management - Surgical Lasers
Introduction
The information below attempts to summarise the legal requirements and practical controls needed by hospitals and clinics offering treatments using lasers.
Legal Requirements
There are a number of applicable legal statutes (HERE), but in summary the following is required;
- Risk assessment,
- Training,
- Written policy/procedure.
Risk assessment
For further information, guidance and template forms, please click HERE.
For technical advice and specialist help, an external specialist safety adviser may be appointed. Alternatively, in some NHS hospitals, this role may also be fulfilled by the local medical physics department.
Training
All staff must be given suitable and sufficient laser safety training and information. In addition, the laser operators must be competent to use the laser safely and carry out treatments.
- Laser safety awareness: All staff (Operators and assisting staff),
- Applications training: Laser operators,
- Laser safety management: Staff in key roles (e.g. theatre manager).
Training can be provided in a numbers of ways but in all cases, understanding of the key points should be checked.
Written policy/procedures
There's no set format for these but an example 3 tier system is listed below;
1. Health and Safety policy (may even have a specific Laser Safety policy),
2. General laser safety procedures ('local rules'), for ALL staff,
3. Specific work instructions on treatment procedure for laser operators.
EXAMPLE LOCAL RULES TEMPLATE
LASER SAFETY POLICY EXAMPLE TEMPLATE
See also: laser safety information leaflet for hospitals and clinics
