Artificial incoherent radiation Luminous hazards- ELV and quantitative evaluation

This article is the second in a series on light hazards from artificial incoherent sources. It deals with exposure limits and quantitative analysis. It is preceded by [SL 6 155] on the normative and regulatory framework, and followed by [SL 6 157] on prevention and protection.

Awareness of the potential dangers of incoherent light sources is a recent phenomenon. The fact that we have been immersed in an environment full of incoherent light sources since our earliest years, both in everyday life and at work, makes it difficult to consider that incoherent light can be a risk. Other difficulties are of a technical nature. New technologies make it possible to produce compact, powerful sources, both for lighting and for use in processes, with technical characteristics far removed from those of conventional light sources. They are therefore likely to generate additional risks. From the point of view of quantitative prevention, it is difficult to access physical data on lamp emissions to compare them with the LE (Exposure Limits). Nevertheless, once these inconsistent sources are considered potentially hazardous, a quantitative comparison between source emissions and ELs is essential. This article proposes a detailed analysis of the various ELs and compares them with various sources for a quantitative assessment of luminous risk. The instrumental aspects of the measurements required for this comparison are not dealt with in this article.