Self-Paced Laser Therapy Laser Safety Course

Core of Knowledge laser safety training for Laser Therapy users

British Medical Laser Association approved course covering Laser Therapy lasers and the risks associated with them. Appropriate laser safety training for those using lasers is a requirement of the Health and Safety legislation, and this course will provide that essential training for healthcare and veterinary professionals using Class 3B (LLLT or cold laser therapy) and Class 4 (hot laser therapy) Laser Therapy lasers as part of their practice.

This course has been approved by the British Medical Laser Association, and follows the Core of Knowledge syllabus recommended for clinical laser users, and specifically covers Laser Therapy lasers and the risks associated with these lasers.

What Will You Learn?

Syllabus

The course content is broken into three parts and each part has been broken down into 3 bite size sections:

Section 1.1: Introduction to laser physics and laser generation

In this first section we will start with the basic physics of light, and how laser light is different to other forms of light. You will then learn how laser light is produced, and why lasers with different lasing mediums have different wavelengths.

Section 1.2: Laser diode technology, and emission characteristics

Now that you know how laser light is produced you will learn how diode lasers, which are the type of laser that Laser Therapy lasers are, produce laser light and why they have an elliptical spot. The different emission characteristics of diode lasers, and how changing the parameters of our laser can change them.

Section 1.3: Laser-tissue interaction, including penetration of light of different wavelengths through skin and eyes

In this section you will learn about the different laser tissue interactions, and how light with different wavelengths penetrates through the skin and eyes. We will see that the amount of laser light power delivered and how quickly it is delivered to tissue will result in different interaction mechanisms. We will also see that different chromophores in tissue preferentially absorb different light wavelengths.

Section 2.1: Hazards to the eyes & skin from accidental exposure

You will learn that where laser light is absorbed is where damage occurs, and that the eye is more susceptible to damage than the skin. You will see that although some Laser Therapy lasers emit low powers they are still very hazardous to the eyes because of the range of wavelengths they emit in and the optical gain of the eye. You will also learn about the dangers of reflected and diffuse reflected laser light.

Section 2.2: Laser standards & hazard classification

In this section you will learn about the Medical Devices Directive and CE marking. We will also look at the relevant standards for lasers and laser classification. We will see some examples were lasers with low laser classification have caused serious eye injuries, and only lasers at the baseline classification are safe.

Section 2.3: Incidental hazards, hazards to the client, & engineering controls built into your laser

In this section we will look at other Laser Therapy lasers hazards that are associated with lasers, as well as the additional hazards that your patient must be protected against. You will also learn about the engineering laser hazard controls that are built into your Laser Therapy laser.

Section 3.1: Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE), Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance (NOHD), laser protective eyewear (PPE)

In this section you will learn what is meant by Exposure Limit Value, and Maximum Permissible Exposure, where they are defined, how they must be complied with, and how they are used to determine the Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance. You will also learn about the importance of the Laser Controlled Area and laser protective eyewear.

Section 3.2: Legislation and risk assessment

In this section we will look at the health and safety legislation which must be complied with when using Laser Therapy lasers, and what you must do to comply with them. We will also look at how to carry out a Laser Therapy laser risk assessment, which is a requirement of the legislation.

Section 3.3: Laser safety management, including quality assurance, dealing with adverse incidents

In this section you will learn what is quality assurance and what are the elements of a laser safety program. This will include roles and responsibilities, laser safety local rules, and the documentation that outline best practice standards, and why they are important.

Certificate

You will receive a certificate of completion detailing the syllabus and length of the course, 3 hrs., which is generally equivalent to 3 CPD points. To receive your certificate of completion you must complete each section of the course and complete a short post course feedback questionnaire.