Laser Safety Officer – BEO Exam
Questions and Answers
Radiant Energy (Q) - Correct Answers -Energy that is emitted, transferred or received.
Measured in Joules (J)
Radiant Power - Correct Answers -Power emitted, transferred, or received in the form of
radiation. Measured in Watts (W)
Irradiance (E) - Correct Answers -(Power Density) Radiant power striking a surface
divided by the surface area W/cm2
Radiant Exposure (H) - Correct Answers -(Energy Density) Energy striking a surface
divided by the surface area exposed J/cm2
What does Laser stand for? - Correct Answers -Light Amplification by Stimulated
Emission of Radiation
What does a laser consist of? - Correct Answers -A Pumping System - Source of the
power that imparts energy to the atoms of the lasing medium to create photons
An Optical Cavity - Contains the medium, has mirrors and provides
amplification/selection of photons
Laser medium - Can be solid state matrix(ND:YAG), gaseous (HeNe 632.8nm red,
CO2, Ar,Kr), dye lasers (Rhodamine 6G), and semiconductor (Gallium Arsenide diode )
What are the responsibilities of the Installation Laser Safety Officer? - Correct Answers -
Develops and manages the Installation Laser Safety Program
What are the responsibilities of the Unit LSO - Correct Answers -Manages the Unit
Laser Safety Program
What are the responsibilities of Public Health? - Correct Answers -Assist in laser injury
investigations and enter into AFSAS
What are the responsibilities of the workplace supervisors? - Correct Answers -They
adhere to the supervisor duties detailed in AFI 48-139
Describe the military specific laser approval process - Correct Answers -Which lasers
have to be approved - lasers that are used for operational or combat purposes.
Commercially developed lasers have to go through the SG.
, The approval process is initiated by the SPO that wants the laser. For commercially
dev'd lasers, MAJCOM initiates approval through AFRL.
The laser will then be evaluated as soon as final production configuration has been
achieved.
A Preliminary Hazard Analysis is performed using manufacturer supplied specs to
characterize hazards.
After everything has been quantified, AFRL performs calcs that define the hazards.
If the device is disapproved, it will need redesigned. This will normally only happen if
the risk is not worth the reward
What are the two modes of laser operation? - Correct Answers -Continuous Wave -
Stable beam power over 0.25s
Pulsed -
Single Pulsed/Repetitively pulsed - Pulsed repetitively per second (Hz)
Q-switched - stored PE to increase power before release
Mode Lock - Modulating standing waves of slightly different wavelengths combine to
produce short pulses
What are three characteristics of a laser beam - Correct Answers -Monochromatic -
Single wavelength
Coherent - Waves of laser light tightly in phase with each other
Collimated - Highly focused
What are the three main US Government agencies involved in laser regulation? -
Correct Answers -OSHA, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and FDA
What AFI covers the Laser Radiation protection program - Correct Answers -AFI 48-139
(minimum requirement for RPP) and DoD Instruction 6055.15, we also use ANSI
136.1(commercial)
What constitutes a class 1 laser? - Correct Answers -Cannot emit laser radiation
capable of causing eye/skin injury.
A 1M is similar, but can cause damage if passed through magnifying optics.
These may be a higher class during maintenance/service
What constitutes a class 2 laser? - Correct Answers -2 - Staring into beam is an eye
hazard. CW max 1mW
2M - Potentially hazardous if collecting optics are used;
CW max 500mW
These lasers are in the visible light spectrum 400-700nm
What constitutes a class 3 laser? - Correct Answers -3R - Marginally unsafe for direct
and specular viewing.
CW max 5mW
3B - Unsafe for direct and specular viewing. Usually not unsafe for diffuse viewing. CW
max = 500mW
Questions and Answers
Radiant Energy (Q) - Correct Answers -Energy that is emitted, transferred or received.
Measured in Joules (J)
Radiant Power - Correct Answers -Power emitted, transferred, or received in the form of
radiation. Measured in Watts (W)
Irradiance (E) - Correct Answers -(Power Density) Radiant power striking a surface
divided by the surface area W/cm2
Radiant Exposure (H) - Correct Answers -(Energy Density) Energy striking a surface
divided by the surface area exposed J/cm2
What does Laser stand for? - Correct Answers -Light Amplification by Stimulated
Emission of Radiation
What does a laser consist of? - Correct Answers -A Pumping System - Source of the
power that imparts energy to the atoms of the lasing medium to create photons
An Optical Cavity - Contains the medium, has mirrors and provides
amplification/selection of photons
Laser medium - Can be solid state matrix(ND:YAG), gaseous (HeNe 632.8nm red,
CO2, Ar,Kr), dye lasers (Rhodamine 6G), and semiconductor (Gallium Arsenide diode )
What are the responsibilities of the Installation Laser Safety Officer? - Correct Answers -
Develops and manages the Installation Laser Safety Program
What are the responsibilities of the Unit LSO - Correct Answers -Manages the Unit
Laser Safety Program
What are the responsibilities of Public Health? - Correct Answers -Assist in laser injury
investigations and enter into AFSAS
What are the responsibilities of the workplace supervisors? - Correct Answers -They
adhere to the supervisor duties detailed in AFI 48-139
Describe the military specific laser approval process - Correct Answers -Which lasers
have to be approved - lasers that are used for operational or combat purposes.
Commercially developed lasers have to go through the SG.
, The approval process is initiated by the SPO that wants the laser. For commercially
dev'd lasers, MAJCOM initiates approval through AFRL.
The laser will then be evaluated as soon as final production configuration has been
achieved.
A Preliminary Hazard Analysis is performed using manufacturer supplied specs to
characterize hazards.
After everything has been quantified, AFRL performs calcs that define the hazards.
If the device is disapproved, it will need redesigned. This will normally only happen if
the risk is not worth the reward
What are the two modes of laser operation? - Correct Answers -Continuous Wave -
Stable beam power over 0.25s
Pulsed -
Single Pulsed/Repetitively pulsed - Pulsed repetitively per second (Hz)
Q-switched - stored PE to increase power before release
Mode Lock - Modulating standing waves of slightly different wavelengths combine to
produce short pulses
What are three characteristics of a laser beam - Correct Answers -Monochromatic -
Single wavelength
Coherent - Waves of laser light tightly in phase with each other
Collimated - Highly focused
What are the three main US Government agencies involved in laser regulation? -
Correct Answers -OSHA, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and FDA
What AFI covers the Laser Radiation protection program - Correct Answers -AFI 48-139
(minimum requirement for RPP) and DoD Instruction 6055.15, we also use ANSI
136.1(commercial)
What constitutes a class 1 laser? - Correct Answers -Cannot emit laser radiation
capable of causing eye/skin injury.
A 1M is similar, but can cause damage if passed through magnifying optics.
These may be a higher class during maintenance/service
What constitutes a class 2 laser? - Correct Answers -2 - Staring into beam is an eye
hazard. CW max 1mW
2M - Potentially hazardous if collecting optics are used;
CW max 500mW
These lasers are in the visible light spectrum 400-700nm
What constitutes a class 3 laser? - Correct Answers -3R - Marginally unsafe for direct
and specular viewing.
CW max 5mW
3B - Unsafe for direct and specular viewing. Usually not unsafe for diffuse viewing. CW
max = 500mW
