Conclusion

This article sets out the various preventive solutions available for dealing with laser beams. Firstly, collective protection, which includes organizational measures, is described. Collective protection should be given priority. Next, the choice of eyewear (resistance to laser flux, attenuation, etc.), which is a form of individual protection, is examined. For eyewear, the methodologies proposed by standards NF EN 207 and NF EN 208, for choosing the right levels of protection, are detailed and illustrated with examples. Goggles are the last line of defence. Given the ever-increasing power of laser sources, they may prove insufficient to keep experimenters' eyes intact with respect to the direct beam. Beware: beam hazards do not only come from the direct beam at full power, but also from attenuated beams, reduced-power beams, parasitic sources, scattered light... This fully justifies their...