Artificial incoherent radiation Luminous hazards- Regulatory framework

This article is the first in a series on light hazards from artificial incoherent sources. It deals with the normative and regulatory framework. It is followed by [SL 6 156] on exposure limits and quantitative analysis, and [SL 6 157] on prevention and protection.

Awareness of the potential hazards, the luminous risk of inconsistent sources, is recent. The first decree in France, dealing specifically with this risk, was published on July 2, 2010. The publication of this decree was prompted by the European directive of April 26, 2006, requiring the authorities of each member state of the European Union to transpose this directive into national law. Following this directive and decree, numerous articles have been published and much information has appeared on the Internet. This topic is more recent than laser safety, although incoherent sources predate laser sources. The first laser safety standard dates back to 1994, while the first standard on the photobiological safety of lamps and lamp-based devices dates back to 2006, 22 years later. Since our earliest years, both in everyday life and at work, our environment has been full of incoherent light sources. This makes it all the more difficult to consider incoherent light as a risk.