Incident Response

When an accident occurs, immediate action is necessary to limit and treat laser injuries.

1. Immediately call 911 for medical assistance.
2. Do not allow injured persons to leave the area under their own power unless released by medical personnel.
3. Keep the injured person calm.
4. If the accident involves the eye, keep the injured person in a sitting position to reduce further injury to the retina.
5. Ensure that the injured person sees an eye or skin specialist as appropriate to the injury.
6. Immediately notify the Laser Safety Officer.
7. 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, the exposure wavelength, emission characteristics, and exposure situation should all be taken into account. For injuries to the eye in the retinal hazard region, the examination must be performed by an ophthalmologist.

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

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