UK restricts sale of unsafe laser pointers

New measures to be introduced in the UK include increased customs checks to ensure imported laser pointers meet laser emission safety standards- currently many of the lowest cost laser pointers available in online market places emit far more laser power than is necessary, or safe, for presentation applications and/or are incorrectly labelled as lower emitting devices.

The PLG supports such measures that clamp down on the miss use of lasers which should never be directed at vehicles of any type or pointed at the face or eyes.  New penalties for which are welcomed in the Laser Misuse (Vehicle) Bill

Laser are a highly versatile tool available in a huge range of powers and colours including visible and invisible wavelengths. The Laser’s characteristic emission of highly concentrated light of a single colour that travels long distances has made them vital to a vast range of applications from welding safer fuel efficient cars, to assessing infections in the blood, to transmitting the internet’s data in optical fibre.    Despite the undesirable misuse of laser pointers, integrated correctly lasers enable many of the key technologies of our time, either directly or by enabling highly efficient manufacturing.

The PLG would also like to stress that laser pointers only work with displays using a projection screen.  They do not work with large format TV’s or flat screen displays and due to reflections it is dangerous as well as ineffective to use laser pointers on large format LCD or LED screens.

 

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