Issues of domestic and international regulation of laser safety for the population (literature review)

Introduction. The article presents an analysis of the existing Russian and foreign literature on the issue of domestic and international regulation of laser safety for the population. 

Purpose. Search for information and analysis of domestic and international experience in the field of regulation of laser radiation levels for the population.

The review of available scientific Russian and foreign literary sources and regulatory documents is carried out. The search and selection of sources was carried out using the open databases PubMed and RSCI. The domestic hygienic standards for continuous laser radiation in the spectral range of 380-1400 nm are much more stringent than the standards applied abroad given in IEC-1. At the same time, when developing standards for maximum permissible levels, the possibility of radiation acting on the population and the blinding effect were not taken into account. Foreign and domestic authors note the peculiarities of the effect of laser radiation in the visible region of the spectrum, including its ability to pass freely through the optical media of the eye and damage the retina and adjacent tissues. The analysis of regulatory documents showed a number of differences in the normalization of Russian and international standards, as well as the discrepancy and vagueness of requirements in existing sanitary and epidemiological documents.

Conclusion. Existing standards sometimes contradict each other, which prevents a competent assessment of the danger of the laser and the laser system, so the revision of the existing regulatory framework for laser safety for the public is an urgent task, the solution of which will minimize negative changes on the part of the visual organ in persons who are not professionally connected with the action of laser radiation and qualitatively improve the hygienic assessment of laser radiation.

Contribution:

Mal’kova N.Yu. — the concept and design of the study, data collection and analysis, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;

Petrova M.D. — data collection and analysis, writing a text, editing. 

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgment. The study had no sponsorship.