Artificial Optical Radiation Directive (AORD)
Background
The Artificial Optical Radiation Directive (2006/25/EC) was originally
adopted by the European Parliament in April 2006. It sought to protect
workers from being exposed to harmful levels of Artificial Optical Radiation
in the workplace and each European Member State was required to implement
the Directive by the end of April 2010.
The UK situation
In the UK, the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) published the 'Control of Artificial Optical Radiation
at Work Regulations 2010' . These regulations require employers to identify
potentially harmful sources of artificial optical radiation in the workplace
and take measures to eliminate or reduce the associated risks.
Essentially, employers should follow a standard risk assessment protocol
for sources of optical radiation. Most light sources such as lamps used
for general lighting, if used correctly, will pose no significant risk
but some sources will require a detailed analysis.
The Health Protection Agency has produced an extremely useful document
known as 'A
Non-Binding Guide to the Artificial Optical
Radiation Directive 2006/25/EC' which essentially takes you through the
process, helping to identify trivial sources of radiation and explaining
how to treat more dangerous sources. It may be all that you need to convince
yourself that you have nothing but trivial sources in your workplace or allow
you to perform your own risk analysis for a potentially hazardous source.
If having read this document you think that you have a problem that is beyong
you then give Lucid a call. We are well versed in the somewhat difficult
calculations which may be involved and can offer tailored help and advice.
BS EN 62471 Photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems
This is the main standard for assessing broadband optical radiation sources.
It introduces a number of different hazard according to the wavelength
of the radiation and the damage mechanism involved and lays down exposure
limit values (ELVs) for each hazard. It also introduces a scheme for assigning
sources into different risk groups ranging from the Exempt Group (very
safe) to Risk Group 3 (might cause damage before you can blink).
Any potentially hazard broadband source should be assessed according to
this protocol.
