Frequently Asked Questions
.Is the Laser Safety Facts label required?
Currently, the Laser Safety Facts program is voluntary. Manufacturers can easily add comprehensive safety information to their products. It is hoped this will reduce laser misuse with eye injuries and aircraft lasings.
In the future, the program could become a mandated regulation, similar to the FDA's Nutrition Facts and Drug Facts labels.
If there is widespread voluntary adoption, government regulations may not be necessary.
In the future, the program could become a mandated regulation, similar to the FDA's Nutrition Facts and Drug Facts labels.
If there is widespread voluntary adoption, government regulations may not be necessary.
Is there any cost to participate?
No. Any manufacturer, seller, distributor, or retailer of laser products can create their own labels at no cost. As discussed here, they can link to already-existing Class webpages.
If they need a custom Class 4 page, or a Freeform Parameter webpage for a product, at this time they can contact LaserSafetyFacts.com and we will create it for them. (In the future, we hope that the Freeform Parameters will automatically generate a webpage without any prior webpage creation needed.)
If they need a custom Class 4 page, or a Freeform Parameter webpage for a product, at this time they can contact LaserSafetyFacts.com and we will create it for them. (In the future, we hope that the Freeform Parameters will automatically generate a webpage without any prior webpage creation needed.)
Can a manufacturer add information to a webpage?
It is very important that the safety information and content of the webpages are independent. The webpages are written by LaserSafetyFacts.com.
There is an option for manufacturers to place ads on their own product webpages. This is NOT a requirement. Any manufacturer is entitled to free safety pages for their products. Having an ad may be beneficial for the manufacturer -- for example, they could have a link to their own safety glasses -- and helps support the costs of running this website.
Manufacturers cannot place ads on other manufacturers' product webpages. This ensures that a customer going to the safety information for a particular product, would either see no ads (e.g., a free page) or would see an ad for the same manufacturer's products.
There is an option for manufacturers to place ads on their own product webpages. This is NOT a requirement. Any manufacturer is entitled to free safety pages for their products. Having an ad may be beneficial for the manufacturer -- for example, they could have a link to their own safety glasses -- and helps support the costs of running this website.
Manufacturers cannot place ads on other manufacturers' product webpages. This ensures that a customer going to the safety information for a particular product, would either see no ads (e.g., a free page) or would see an ad for the same manufacturer's products.
I can't fit a Laser Safety Facts label on my laser. What do I do?
If a Laser Safety Facts label cannot fit onto a laser, simply use a smaller label such as the ones shown towards the bottom of these pages: Class 2 label, Class 3R label, Class 3B label and Class 4 label.
The Laser Safety Facts label should still be used on packaging, marketing materials such a brochures and a website, as a package insert or hang tag, and in the user manual.
If you cannot fit even a small QR or DM code on a laser, then put a short text phrase, such as "Visit LaserSafety.info/3B". Users can type the URL into any browser, to get additional safety information.
The Laser Safety Facts label should still be used on packaging, marketing materials such a brochures and a website, as a package insert or hang tag, and in the user manual.
If you cannot fit even a small QR or DM code on a laser, then put a short text phrase, such as "Visit LaserSafety.info/3B". Users can type the URL into any browser, to get additional safety information.
I already have thousands of laser labels in stock. Can I use them?
Yes, existing labels are fine (as long as they accurately state the Class and other parameters such as power and wavelength).
All the Laser Safety Facts program requires are three additional things on the laser itself:
1) A QR or Data Matrix code, which leads to a webpage here at LaserSafetyFacts.com. This page can be an already-existing general page about the laser's class (e.g., one of these pages: Class 2, Class 3R, Class 3B, Class 4). Or it can be a page with Freeform Parameters about a specific laser (see About Laser Safety Facts for more info). Actually, if the QR or DM code cannot fit on the label, it is OK to just have a text URL, such as "Visit LaserSafety.info/3B".
2) A human-readable URL address. The preferred text is "Scan code or visit LaserSafety.info/[extension]." However, if space is limited, this can be shortened either as the URL or as text saying that scanning will lead to safety information. For example: "Visit LaserSafety.info/[extension]" or "Scan for safety info". This text is important so the user knows the code is for them -- it is not some sort or manufacturing or inventory code.
3) If the laser is a pointer, a handheld, or is likely to be used outdoors or aimed at aircraft, an aviation safety warning similar to the following: "DO NOT AIM AT AIRCRAFT - IT IS UNSAFE AND ILLEGAL." When space is limited, the short form "DO NOT AIM AT AIRCRAFT" is acceptable. Other alternate forms are "NEVER AIM ANY LASER AT AIRCRAFT - IT IS UNSAFE AND ILLEGAL" or "NEVER AIM ANY LASER AT AIRCRAFT". The aviation safety warning is very important, since aviation misuse is the most widespread and hazardous of all laser misuse.
Once your existing stock is exhausted, you may want to consider using labels such as the ones shown on these pages: Class 2 labels, Class 3R labels, Class 3B labels, Class 4 labels.
All the Laser Safety Facts program requires are three additional things on the laser itself:
1) A QR or Data Matrix code, which leads to a webpage here at LaserSafetyFacts.com. This page can be an already-existing general page about the laser's class (e.g., one of these pages: Class 2, Class 3R, Class 3B, Class 4). Or it can be a page with Freeform Parameters about a specific laser (see About Laser Safety Facts for more info). Actually, if the QR or DM code cannot fit on the label, it is OK to just have a text URL, such as "Visit LaserSafety.info/3B".
2) A human-readable URL address. The preferred text is "Scan code or visit LaserSafety.info/[extension]." However, if space is limited, this can be shortened either as the URL or as text saying that scanning will lead to safety information. For example: "Visit LaserSafety.info/[extension]" or "Scan for safety info". This text is important so the user knows the code is for them -- it is not some sort or manufacturing or inventory code.
3) If the laser is a pointer, a handheld, or is likely to be used outdoors or aimed at aircraft, an aviation safety warning similar to the following: "DO NOT AIM AT AIRCRAFT - IT IS UNSAFE AND ILLEGAL." When space is limited, the short form "DO NOT AIM AT AIRCRAFT" is acceptable. Other alternate forms are "NEVER AIM ANY LASER AT AIRCRAFT - IT IS UNSAFE AND ILLEGAL" or "NEVER AIM ANY LASER AT AIRCRAFT". The aviation safety warning is very important, since aviation misuse is the most widespread and hazardous of all laser misuse.
Once your existing stock is exhausted, you may want to consider using labels such as the ones shown on these pages: Class 2 labels, Class 3R labels, Class 3B labels, Class 4 labels.