Class 1 (how safe is it?)

[museman]

I was reading on wiki about class 1 lasers.

And I was wondering if they are safe to look at close up
(not straight on but from the side) for long periods of time.

wiki said
"class 1 laser is safe under all conditions of normal use"
But then they say..
"This means the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) cannot be exceeded"
I wasn't sure on what the MPE was.

I wanted to know this because I thought it would be fun to do similar
things as a laser light show but smaller and with less powerful lasers.
It would be like a laser sculpture or laser art... I don't know what I would call it. But all the ends of the lasers I intend to either have going straight up or have hit a near by wall.

If I like what I have at the end I would like to put it in my home as a small decoration and was wondering how safe it would be for people to stare and get close or what I should tell them not to do while viewing my master piece. ha

thanks for everyone who posts

 

[mfo]

I was reading on wiki about class 1 lasers.

And I was wondering if they are safe to look at close up
(not straight on but from the side) for long periods of time.

wiki said
"class 1 laser is safe under all conditions of normal use"
But then they say..
"This means the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) cannot be exceeded"
I wasn't sure on what the MPE was.

I wanted to know this because I thought it would be fun to do similar
things as a laser light show but smaller and with less powerful lasers.
It would be like a laser sculpture or laser art... I don't know what I would call it. But all the ends of the lasers I intend to either have going straight up or have hit a near by wall.

If I like what I have at the end I would like to put it in my home as a small decoration and was wondering how safe it would be for people to stare and get close or what I should tell them not to do while viewing my master piece. ha

thanks for everyone who posts

You consider staring into a laser normal use?

 

[Laser_Ben]

Class One means that either all the light is contained and interlocked, or the equivalent MPE for a 600nm laser at 0.39mW.

 

[photonaholic]

Welcome to the forum.

With a proper beam stop, there is no reason why you could not build a fine decoration using laser light.

Just make absolutely certain that the beam CANNOT stray off target.

All the beam stops in the world will not help if your cat/dog/gerbil or whatever can knock it over and allow the laser(s) to free run without a stop.

 

[Laser_Ben]

Also make sure that the beam path is enclosed in a tube. It could be possible for a reflective object to drop into the path.

 

[photonaholic]

Good call Ben....

Also make sure that when you finish the project, please post pictures, we love pictures.

 

[museman]

Thank you so much for all the scenarios!!!
So I guess the main thinks to look after is..
-don't hang anything above it
-make sure all beams stay on there path
-and make sturdy

But thanks for all the advice!!

And no I wouldn't consider staring normal use mfo.
But in case if a visiting child were to stare at it I
would like enough time to get them away if I wasn't in the room.
I suppose I'll have to make it out of there reach.

Pic's!!!