Hazard, risk assessment and safety management in workstations with lasers-theoretical and practical studies

Hazard identification and occupational risk assessment, defined as the probability of occurrence of unfavorable work-related events, is one of the areas of activity for employers in relation to current legislation and standards. Using occupational risk assessment it is possible to design and use workstations properly, respecting workers' health. This article presents an issue related to the use of workstations with laser equipment, which describes the nature of work of lasers and the specific impact of the laser beam on the material. The subject of the analysis is the workstations with a CO2 laser for cutting polymers and a workstation with a fiber laser for marking and engraving. For the above-mentioned workstations, using a designed checklist, the features of lasers are verified, hazards are identified, and occupational risk is estimated using the risk graph method. The estimated risk at selected workplaces with lasers clearly indicated that special attention should be paid not only to the device, and the negative impact of their laser beam on the human body, but also on the treated materials. The article also draws attention to protective measures, which should be applied at laser workstations to ensure the safety of employees.