What makes Laser light potentially dangerous? What makes this form of light so much different, more beautiful and potentially more dangerous than conventional lighting systems? To make it as simple to understand as I can, without getting into a bunch of boring physics and technical “mumbo-jumbo” I will offer you this…

Regular light or “white light” like of which comes from the sun, a light bulb and your desk lamp, is electro-magnetic radiation made up of MANY wavelengths (or colors) of light. The approximate visible spectrum of light is about 400nm (blue”ish” or “UV”) to about 750nm (deep red or “Infra-red”). All of these wavelengths of light are jumbled into white light and most other forms of conventional lighting. This is the reason why, when you take a red color filter or “gel” and put it up to sunlight or your desk lamp everything looks, well, red. This filter blocks out all of the other wavelengths present in the light reaching your eye and only allows the red wavelength to pass through the filter. There are almost limitless other wavelengths of light incorporated into conventional lighting. All with different frequencies, amplitudes and directions of travel. Some of these waves travel off to the right. Some travel upwards, Some travel to the left and so on and so forth. There is no “organization” or unison traveling amongst these light beams. Turn a light bulb on in your living room- It lights up the whole room right? This proves the above. All of these waves are traveling in every direction possible.

Now, the Laser and why it is so much different. A Laser beam is pretty much the complete opposite of the explanation we gave you above regarding “white light.” A Laser beam is made when atoms inside of a medium of solid liquid or gas is “excited” and forced to emit a particle of light called a photon. When this photon is emitted, it is forced to bounce back and forth between 2 reflectors and back through the lasing medium and exponentially gain power in the process as it hits other atoms and makes them emit photons in this enormous chain reaction. 1 reflector is a 100% reflective surface, the other reflector is not 100% reflective. This semi-reflective surface allows the build-up of energy (photons) to escape as a Laser beam. What makes this beam so special is it is EXACTLY 1 wavelength of light. This beam has exactly 1 wavelength (color) and all of its waves or “amplitudes” are exactly in phase with each other. Think of a laser beam as an army marching in perfect unison in one direction as opposed to regular light, where fans are storming a playing field at all different speeds and from every direction when their favorite team wins a sporting event. This extraordinary phenomenon makes Laser light very bright and extremely concentrated into pencil thin beams. Take a $5 Laser pointer go into a dark room and turn it on. It doesn’t light up the room right? Nope. It simply lights up a very tiny area where the beam hits. This is because no other waves, frequencies or amplitudes of “light” are traveling from the source. It is 1 wavelength traveling in exactly 1 direction and in exact sync with each other. This is where the potential dangers arise.

Laser light, even small powers like the ones in Laser pointers you get at stores to drive your cats crazy, are inherently thousands of times brighter than ordinary light and all of that energy and power is concentrated into a very, very small area. Most consumer Lasers are rated in the 1mW (.001 Watts) to 5mW (.005 Watts) (mW= milli-Watt or 1/1,000th of 1 watt) power outputs. In the USA, 5mW (5 thousandths of 1 Watt [.005 Watts]) is the absolute limit for a consumer Laser device. Lasers used in Laser light show systems are usually rated in the “Watts” range. (1 Watt = 1,000mW). The Laser power output and potential for danger and harm in Watt class Lasers, can be significant.

As a professional Laser light show company, CT. Lasers ( http://www.ctlasers.com ) has become very aware and alarmed by the onslaught of high powered Laser systems being used by unaware, untrained people for entertainment purposes. These Lasers are usually “shot” right down into audience members and are almost always being used in very unsafe and potentially dangerous fashions. As you learned above, even lowered power Lasers pack serious power behind them. A 1 Watt Laser light show projector (very popular these days) is about 1000 times as powerful as a handheld Laser pointer. The Laser beam(s) that exit that Laser light show projector can cause fires and can instantly blind someone should they get a direct hit in the eye with a static non-moving beam. Precautions, safety knowledge and basic common sense is needed to use these devices safely, and in accordance with the law!

In the United States, Lasers are governed and regulated by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), a branch of the FDA (21 CFR Part 1040). Like we stated above, consumer Lasers are limited to a maximum of 5mW of output power. Any Laser device that emits any more power than that requires very particular safety systems, product certifications and “variances” from the CDRH to operate or use these Lasers in any sort of public fashion. People and companies who are using Laser systems which do not have these reports, safety systems and variances are 1) breaking U.S. law and 2) are potentially putting their audiences in harms way. Even purchasing these systems from online stores and from foreign manufacturers is technically breaking the law.

Laser light shows and Laser light show systems do enhance many events and shows. They provide beauty and “awe” to an otherwise stagnant visual entertainment genre. We just want you to use these Laser systems safely and in accordance with U.S. Law. Remember, safety should be your main concern for your clients and guests. Cheap and easy sales from online merchants should not outweigh your responsibility of, “Doing the right thing!”