It is essential to have complete laser safety protection in place anywhere there are Class 4 and several Class 3B lasers since they pose a risk to eyesight at very long distances.
It is imperative to ensure that windows in laboratories and production facilities do not allow the escape of laser radiation. It is rare for regular curtains or screens to obstruct a laser beam; instead, specifically made blocking goods are needed.
In order to prevent unintentional exposure to the laser beam or to permanently block laser radiation at lower power densities, Lasermet’s laser blocking roller blinds are designed as a passive guarding system to prevent laser light from escaping the theater, laboratory, or laser facility where Class 3B or Class 4 lasers are in use.
The blinds are installed to cover windows and doors that have windows built into them. Lasermet offers a variety of solutions to accommodate any kind of application.
CONTROLS
Lasermet’s Roller Blinds offer manual operation – chain or crank handle – or motorised versions which can be remotely controlled – either wireless or hard-wired.
ENCAPSULATED LASER BLOCKING ROLLER BLIND
Lasermet’s specifically developed laser blocking Orca material, approved to BS EN IEC 60825-4 Safety of Laser Products, Part 4: Laser Guards, is used to create encapsulated laser safety roller blinds.
The roller blind is enclosed in an aluminum frame with a white finish that covers the top, both edges, and bottom of the blind. This stops any chance of laser beams circling the blind’s sides, filters out any direct light, and produces a clean finish.
Roller blinds must be approved, and the material must have undergone testing in accordance with applicable laser safety regulations. If non-compliant material were to be used, such as uncertified or untested sun blocking material, this might potentially allow laser beams to pass through the blind, endangering both people and equipment.
ADOPTING BEST PRACTICE IN LASER SAFETY
In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) has issued a Best Practice Guidance Document HBN 26 “ which provides guidance on facilities for in-patient operating theatres in acute general hospitals.
… All doors should be fitted with vision panels
Facilities for Surgical Procedures Vol 1. Paragraph 4.79
capable of being obscured, and have laser-proof blinds…
“Where lasers are to be used in an operating theatre, safety precautions in accordance with BS EN 60825 should be employed…”
Use of Lasers in the Operating Theatre. Paragraph 7.120
PEL RATINGS FOR ORCA LASER BLOCKING ROLLER BLINDS
Lasermet’s Orca Laser Blocking material are CE and UKCA marked and certified to BS EN IEC 60825-4 Safety of Laser Products Part 4: Laser Guards.
Protection times given by the material at various power densities are shown in the specifications below.
| Irradiated Area | PEL (T3) 10S | PEL (T2) 100S |
| 4mm² | 3.9 MW/m² | 2.2 MW/m² |
| 2000mm² | 0.62 MW/m² | 0.35 MW/m² |
PEL RATINGS FOR WOLF LASER BLOCKING ROLLER BLINDS
An alternative roller blind material is available from Lasermet which is suitable for some specific environments. The Wolf Laser Blocking material has a lower PEL rating but is still sufficient up to certain limits.
| Irradiated Area | PEL (T3) 10S | PEL (T2) 100S |
| 4mm² | 248 kW/m² | 140 kW/m² |
| 2000mm² | 124 kW/m² | 70 kW/m² |
The Wolf Laser Blocking material was previously known as the Blackcat.
