Incident Response

When an accident occurs, immediate action is necessary to limit and treat laser injuries. In the event of an incident, take the following actions:

• Call 911 for medical assistance.
• Notify the LSO if he or she is not on-site.
• Do not allow injured persons to leave the area under their own power unless released by medical personnel.
• Keep the injured person calm.
• If the accident involves the eye, keep the injured person in a sitting position to reduce further injury to the retina.
• Ensure that the injured person sees an eye or skin specialist as appropriate to the injury.
• Turn off the laser system but leave the scene unaltered.

The affected personnel should receive a medical examination as soon as possible, typically within 48 hours. In addition to symptoms, take into account the exposure wavelength, emission characteristics, and exposure situation. An ophthalmologist should examine eye injuries in the retinal hazard region.

Medical surveillance programs should be available for personnel who are at a high risk of certain types of laser radiation.

To learn more about Laser Safety visit our Laser Safety Online Training web page.