S.L. 646.22 ст. 4Determination of exposure and assessment of risks. S.L. 424.18 S.L. 424.18

(1) The employer shall assess and, if necessary, measure and,or calculate the levels of exposure to optical radiation to which workers are likely to be exposed so that the measures needed to restrict exposure to the applicable limits can be identified and put into effect. The methodology applied in assessment, measurement and,or calculations shall follow the standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in respect of laser radiation and the recommendations of the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) and the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) in respect of non-coherent radiation. In exposure situations which are not covered by these standards and recommendations, and until appropriate EU standards or recommendations become available, assessment, measurement and,or calculations shall be carried out using available national or FROM EXPOSURE TO ARTIFICIAL OPTICAL RADIATION)

international science-based guidelines. In both exposure situations, the assessment may take account of data provided by the manufacturers of the equipment when it is covered by relevant Community Directives.

(2) The assessment, measurement and,or calculations referred to in sub-regulation (1) shall be planned and carried out by competent persons at suitable intervals taking particular account of regulation 9 concerning protective and preventive services and measures and regulation 13 concerning consultation and participation of the workers of the General Provisions for Health and Safety at Work Places Regulations. The data obtained from the assessment, including those obtained from the measurement and,or calculation of the level of exposure referred to in sub-regulation (1) shall be preserved in a suitable form so as to permit consultation at a later stage.

(3) The employer shall give particular attention, when carrying out the risk assessment, to the following:

(a) the level, wavelength range and duration of exposure to artificial sources of optical radiation;

(b) the exposure limit values referred to in regulation 3;

(c) any effects concerning the health and safety of workers belonging to particularly sensitive risk groups;

(d) any possible effects on workers’ health and safety resulting from workplace interactions between optical radiation and photosensitising chemical substances;

(e) any indirect effects such as temporary blinding, explosion or fire;

(f) the existence of replacement equipment designed to reduce the levels of exposure to artificial optical radiation;

(g) appropriate information obtained from health surveillance, including published information, as far as possible;

(h) multiple sources of exposure to artificial optical radiation;

(i) a classification applied to a laser as defined in accordance with the relevant IEC standard and, in relation to any artificial source likely to cause damage similar to that of a laser of class 3B or 4, any similar classification;

(j) information provided by the manufacturers of optical radiation sources and associated work equipment in accordance with the relevant Community Directives.

(4) The employer shall be in possession of an assessment of the risk in accordance with regulation 10 of the General Provisions for Health and Safety at Work Places Regulations, and shall identify those measures which must be taken in accordance with regulations FROM EXPOSURE TO ARTIFICIAL OPTICAL RADIATION)

5 and 6 of these regulations. The risk assessment shall be recorded on a suitable medium, and it may include a justification by the employer that the nature and extent of the risks related to optical radiation make a further detailed risk assessment unnecessary. The risk assessment shall be updated on a regular basis, particularly if there have been significant changes which could render it out-of-date, or if the results of health surveillance show it to be necessary.

(5) A medium is considered to be suitable, as required by the preceding sub-regulation, if it allows records and the information contained therein to be stored in a way which is readily accessible for future reference and which meets the following conditions:

(a) it is possible for any corrections or other amendments, and the contents of the records prior to such corrections or amendments, to be easily ascertained; and

(b) it is not possible for the records otherwise to be manipulated or altered.