Guidance

Laser radiation: safety advice

Updated 18 March 2025

Safety of lasers

Lasers are used for many different applications and can be found in the workplace, retail and at home. Lasers are a valuable scientific tool and play an important role in healthcare and industry, as well being used for entertainment purposes. Lasers are used in consumer products such as home-use medical or cosmetic devices and toys.

While lasers emit optical radiation as do the sun, lighting, computer screens, toys, heaters and many others, there are important differences between lasers and other sources.  For a laser, the beam usually has a small area, is intense and contains a narrow wavelength band, often being referred to as a monochromatic, and perceived as a single colour.

A laser often produces a beam with low divergence, which spreads out very little with increasing distance. This means that the laser beam will still appear as a small spot a long way away and, as consequence, high power devices can present a risk over considerable distances, often miles.

However, there are exceptions: some lasers produce optical radiation over a wide wavelength spectrum and some produce widely divergent beams.

Lasers may emit high power optical radiation which could present a risk to the eyes and skin; risks to the eyes range from temporary visual impairment to permanent sight loss.

This guide provides:

• standards for laser products
• basic information on consumer laser products
• summary of UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA’s) position on the safety of laser products

Standards for laser products

Laser products sold in the UK should be classified in accordance with the British standards[footnote 1]. Standards specify the requirements to ensure that the risks are minimised through the engineering controls, product labelling and information to allow for safe use.

The laser product classification scheme indicates the potential risk of adverse health effects: the higher the class number, the greater the potential to cause harm. In practice, the risk also depends upon the conditions of use, exposure time and the environment. Potential risks may or may not actually lead to adverse health effects, so laser product classification should guide selection of appropriate control measures to minimise the risks.

BS EN 60825-1[footnote 1] standard sets out 8 classes of laser products as:

Class 1

Class 1 laser products are safe during normal use, including long-term direct intrabeam viewing. Class 1 also includes high power lasers that are fully enclosed so that no potentially hazardous radiation is accessible during use. Intrabeam viewing of Class 1 laser products which emit visible radiant energy may still produce dazzling visual effects, particularly in low ambient light. The term “eye-safe” may only be used for Class 1 laser products.

Class 1M

Class 1M laser products that are safe, including long-term direct intrabeam viewing for the naked eye (unaided eye). However, these laser products can be harmful to the eye if the beam is viewed using magnifying optical instruments. Intrabeam viewing of Class 1M laser products which emit visible radiant energy may still produce dazzling visual effects, particularly in low ambient light.

Class 1C

Class 1C laser products that are intended for direct application of laser radiation to the skin or internal body tissues for medical, diagnostic, therapeutic or cosmetic procedures such as hair removal, skin wrinkle reduction, acne reduction. Although the emitted laser radiation may be at Class 3R, 3B or 4 level, eye exposures are prevented by engineering means.

Class 2

Class 2 laser products that emit visible radiation in the wavelength range from 400 nm to 700 nm that are safe for short exposures (due our natural aversion behaviour for exposure to bright light) but can be hazardous for deliberate staring into the beam and presumption is that there is very low risk of injury for short exposures that are somewhat longer.

Dazzle, flash-blindness and afterimages may be caused by a beam from a Class 2 laser product, particularly under low ambient light conditions. This may have indirect general safety implications resulting from temporary disturbance of vision or from startle reactions. Such visual disturbances could be of particular concern if experienced while performing safety-critical operations such as working with machines, at height, with high voltages or whilst driving.

Class 2M

Class 2M laser products are products which produce a large diameter beam that emit visible radiation in the wavelength range 400 to 700 nm and are safe for short time exposure only for the naked (unaided) eye. These laser products can be harmful to the eye if the beam is viewed using magnifying instruments.

Dazzle, flash-blindness and afterimages may be caused by a beam from a Class 2M laser product, the same as for a Class 2 laser product.

Class 3R

Class 3R laser products that emit radiation may have a maximum output power of 5 mW that can potentially cause eye injuries with direct intrabeam viewing, but the risk of injury in most cases is relatively low but does increase with exposure duration. Class 3R laser products are not considered intrinsically safe, the risk is limited because natural aversion behaviour for exposure to bright light for the case of visible radiation and by the response to heating of the cornea for far infrared radiation.

Dazzle, flash-blindness and afterimages may be caused by a beam from a Class 3R laser product in the visible wavelength range, the same as for a Class 2 laser product.

Class 3B

Class 3B laser products may have an output power of up to 500 mW that are normally hazardous when intrabeam ocular exposure occurs including accidental short time exposure. Viewing diffuse reflections is normally safe. Class 3B lasers which approach the upper limit for the Class 3B may produce minor skin injuries or even pose a risk of igniting flammable materials. However, this is only likely if the beam has a small diameter or is focussed.

Class 4

Class 4 laser products have an output power greater than 500 mW for which intrabeam viewing and skin exposure is hazardous and for which the viewing of diffuse reflections may be hazardous. These lasers also often represent a fire hazard.

Laser consumer products

As laser technology has developed over the years, it has become cheaper and easier to manufacture them. As a result, consumer laser products have become more affordable, and lasers of higher output power have become widely available in the marketplace. 

Commonly available consumer laser products generally emit red coloured light (wavelengths between 630 and 670 nm), green coloured light (532 nm) or blue coloured light (about 445 nm). The response of the human eye is wavelength dependent and is most sensitive around 555 nm decreasing at either end of the visible spectrum (400 nm to 780 nm). As a result, the perceived brightness of lasers with the same radiant power emitting at wavelengths of 670 nm, 635 nm, 532 nm and 445 nm will be approximately in the ratios 1:7:30:1.

Common problems seen with consumer laser products include higher than stated output powers, additional (often invisible) emission wavelengths, and incorrect labelling. Further information can be found in the UKHSA Laser product information sheet: practical guide[footnote 2]. A typical example is a laser pointer that is marked Class 2 (or output power is marked as less than 1 mW) but is actually Class 3B (5 – 500 times higher output) or even Class 4 (more than 500 times higher) when measured. A number of eye injuries, especially to children, have occurred from the use of incorrectly labelled Class 3B and Class 4 laser pointers.

In 2021, the standard BS EN 50689:2021 “Safety of Laser Products — Particular Requirements for Consumer Laser Products”[footnote 3] was adopted in the UK and in September 2024 was harmonised under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005[footnote 4]. The standard states that consumer laser products can be Class 1, Class 2, and a subgroup of Class 3R. However, consumer laser products that are child-appealing must not exceed Class 1, while Class 3B and Class 4 lasers are not suitable for general use by consumers.

Trading standards may remove laser products from the market using their existing powers under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005[footnote 4]. Product Safety Alerts, reports and recalls are made available to the public by the Office for Product Safety and Standards[footnote 5]. However, it is recognised that consumers also purchase products direct via the internet and while on overseas holidays, which is difficult to control.

UKHSA advice

The advice from UKHSA takes account of the current international guidelines, British standards for safety of laser products, and the equivalent European and international standards.

UKHSA advises that consumer products containing Class 1 or Class 2 lasers would be unlikely cause eye or skin injuries. Class 1M, Class 2M and Class 3R laser products may be acceptable for use by consumers where the manufacturer has assessed that the risk of eye injury is very low when used as intended for a particular application.

Use of lasers in a work-place environment is governed by the Control of Artificial Optical Radiation at Work Regulations 2010[footnote 6] which state that work with Class 3B and Class 4 lasers require the employer to make a risk assessment, implement adequate control measures and provide training.

Although the risk of a permanent eye injury from a consumer laser product up to Class 3R may be small, these laser beams should never be pointed at people as an exposed individual may experience dazzle, causing distraction and possible afterimages. The time taken to recover from these effects varies for different individuals and depends on the ambient light level. Medical attention should only be sought if afterimages persist for hours, or if a disturbance in reading vision is apparent.

The Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Act 2018[footnote 7]  introduced tough penalties for people who target trains, planes, air traffic facilities, cars or boats with lasers.

There is no simple test for non-specialists to determine the output power of a laser product and a visual inspection will not provide any indication of risks. Purchasers need to be aware that they may put themselves and others at risk of serious injury since these devices may emit laser beams of considerably higher powers than marked. Purchasers should also be aware construction may be of poor quality and with normal wear and tear the product could be capable of causing an eye injury.

Further guidance is available:

• UKHSA Laser product information sheet: practical guide
• The Control of Artificial Optical Radiation at Work Regulations 2010
• British Standards Institute
• International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation protection
• Civil Aviation Authority
• International Electrotechnical Commission
• Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Act 2018
• Watch UKHSA’s video on The dangers of lasers

Contact

For enquiries contact laser@ukhsa.gov.uk

Published May 2006 (revised February 2025)

References

British Standards Institution, London

1. BS EN 60825-1:2014+A11:2021. Safety of laser products: Part 1. Equipment classification and requirements.

2. UKHSA Laser product information sheet: practical guide.

3. BS EN 50689:2021 “Safety of laser products — Particular Requirements for Consumer Laser” Products

4. General Product Safety Regulations 2005, Statutory Instrument 2005 No. 1803, OPSI, London

5. Office for Product Safety and Standards: Product Safety Alerts, Reports and Recalls

6. The Control of Artificial Optical Radiation at Work Regulations 2010

7. Laser Misuse (Vehicle) Act 2018, Chapter 9