Instruction in use of my laser

Hello all. Patrick here. I ordered my 1st laser from the grab bag guy, probably around 70 mW. I have done a LOT of reading, a lot. I'm getting some goggles. I'm a bit scared however as I like my eyes. Can someone experienced tell me how to use my laser, indoors, and outdoors at night. Goggles on always indoors? Do you need them outdoors. Will my over spec laser pop a balloon or light a match? What are some warnings, things NOT to do? I mean, I know not to shine it at people or planes or out a window, etc.
I would really appreciate, and others in my situation as well, how to use thing safely in and outdoors....

thanking you very much in advance for your help -
patrick

1) Don't look directly into the beam.
2) Don't look at a reflection of the beam.
3) Don't look at the dot on any surface, without proper goggles.
4) Don't reflect it off objects, especially shiny reflective ones, outside.
5) Sky pointing is OK without goggles, but follow rules 1-4 above.
6) Don't point it at people, animals, cars, planes, etc.
7) May or may not light a match or pop a balloon.
8) Make sure your goggles are for the proper wave length, I'm assuming 532nm.
9) Don't become complacent over time and do something stupid.
10) Goggles for everybody in the vicinity while indoors.
11) Get a known <5mW 532nm for playing around indoors - Lazer Glow, ZBolt, etc.
12) As you move into higher powers, and you will, I would make sure your goggles cover the IR wave lengths for the greens, and 405nm and 445nm wavelengts from the jump. Money saved down the road. Usually red wave lengths are covered by different goggles.
13) The goggles in my signature are outstanding.
14 Don't buy a $17 laser and then put your eye out.
15) Enjoy!

Glenn

Good responce, GAtkins! I replied to the OP on this topic when he PM'd me about it before posting about it here. I even put up a thread in the safety section about it. If I had known he was going to open a thread on it I wouldn't have started one myself!

Heck, spread the safety around, it's always good in my book.

Glenn

Aye, very true. Safety needs to be pushed into newcomers brains so hard it spills out their ears!

Do not shine it in the direction of a police officer. There was someone in my town who was using a laser in his front yard to play with his cat. A police officer happened to drive by, got out of his car, and arrested the guy.

Police are also allowed to shoot you if you point a laser at them.

thanks for your reply, I'm taking in as much as I can. Not sure what you mean when you say "don't look directly into the beam?" Clarify? I suppose I'll look back on all this one day ") (if I still can).

"Don't look directly into the beam" is synonymous with "don't point the laser at your eye".