National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 60825‑4:2006+A2:2011. It is identical with IEC 60825‑4:2006, incorporating amendments 1:2008 and 2:2011. It supersedes BS EN 60825‑4:2006+A1:2008 which is withdrawn.

The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in the text by tags. Tags indicating changes to IEC text carry the number of the IEC amendment. For example, text altered by IEC amendment 1 is indicated in the text by .

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee EPL/76, Optical radiation safety and laser equipment.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 30 November 2006

Foreword

The text of document 76/342/FDIS, future edition 2 of IEC 60825‑4, prepared by IEC TC 76, Optical radiation safety and laser equipment, was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and was approved by CENELEC as EN 60825‑4 on 2006-10-01.

This European Standard supersedes EN 60825‑4:1997 + A1:2002+ A2:2003 .

The following dates were fixed:

Annex ZA has been added by CENELEC.

Foreword to amendment A1

The text of document 76/383/FDIS, future amendment 1 to IEC 60825‑4:2006, prepared by IEC TC 76, Optical radiation safety and laser equipment, was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and was approved by CENELEC as amendment A1 to EN 60825‑4:2006 on 2008-09-01.

The following dates were fixed:

Annex ZA has been added by CENELEC.

Foreword to amendment A2

The text of document 76/428/CDV, future amendment 2 to IEC 60825‑4:2006, prepared by IEC TC 76, Optical radiation safety and laser equipment, was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and was approved by CENELEC as amendment A2 to EN 60825‑4:2006 on 2011-05-03.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN and CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

The following dates were fixed:

INTRODUCTION

At low levels of irradiance or radiant exposure, the selection of material and thickness for shielding against laser radiation is determined primarily by a need to provide sufficient optical attenuation. However, at higher levels, an additional consideration is the ability of the laser radiation to remove guard material - typically by melting, oxidation or ablation; processes that could lead to laser radiation penetrating a normally opaque material.

IEC 60825‑1 deals with basic issues concerning laser guards, including human access, interlocking and labelling, and gives general guidance on the design of protective housings and enclosures for high-power lasers.

This part of IEC 60825 deals with protection against laser radiation only. Hazards from secondary radiation that may arise during material processing are not addressed.

Laser guards may also comply with standards for laser protective eyewear, but such compliance is not necessarily sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this standard.

Where the term “irradiance” is used, the expression “irradiance or radiant exposure, as appropriate” is implied.

This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2006-10-01. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the Central Secretariat or to any CENELEC member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.

CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Endorsement notice

The text of the International Standard IEC 60825‑4:2006 was approved by CENELEC as a European Standard without any modification.

Endorsement notice

The text of amendment 1:2008 to the International Standard IEC 60825‑4:2006 was approved by CENELEC as an amendment to the European Standard without any modification.

Endorsement notice

The text of amendment 2:2011 to the International Standard IEC 60825‑4:2006 was approved by CENELEC as an amendment to the European Standard without any modification.

1 Scope

This part of IEC 60825 specifies the requirements for laser guards, permanent and temporary (for example for service), that enclose the process zone of a laser processing machine, and specifications for proprietary laser guards.

This standard applies to all component parts of a guard including clear (visibly transmitting) screens and viewing windows, panels, laser curtains and walls. Requirements for beam path components, beam stops and those other parts of a protective housing of a laser product which do not enclose the process zone are contained in IEC 60825‑1.

In addition this part of IEC 60825 indicates:

how to assess and specify the protective properties of a laser guard; and
how to select a laser guard.

2 Normative references

3 Definitions

4 Laser processing machines

4.1 Design requirements

4.2 Performance requirements

4.3 Validation

4.4 User information

5 Proprietary laser guards

5.1 Design requirements

5.2 Performance requirements

5.3 Specification requirements

5.4 Test requirements

5.5 Labelling requirements

5.6 User information

Bibliography

BS EN 60825-4:2006+A2:2011

Safety of laser products - Laser guards

Current, Under Review

Published:

30 Nov 2006