[en] This report is intended as a guide to current laser standards. It summarises and compares the maximum permissible exposures and emission limits as a function of emission duration and wavelength for each of the classes of laser defined within each standard. In particular, comparisons are made between a draft British laser standard on semiconductor optical emitter products and optical waveguide emitter products (including optical fibres) with previously published standards. This guide is not intended to be as exhaustive as that presented in each laser standard and full reference to the appropriate standard should be made for particular cases of laser hazard assessment. (author)

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[en] Possible alternative sources of supply of lithium fluoride to that used at present in the NRPB automated TLD system dosemeter are being considered on the grounds of economy and quality control. Initial measurements on the thermoluminescent properties and efficiency of various preparations of lithium fluoride are described, including the Harshaw TLD-700 which is currently in use in the automated thermoluminescent dosemeter. Material obtained from British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (which may be an atypical batch) showed 75% of the sensitivity of the Harshaw material, with around 20% fading of the signal after 1 month's storage. French material, obtained from Desmarquest and Carbonisation Entreprise et Ceramique and used by the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, showed good fading resistance but, after standard preparational treatments, was only half as sensitive in the thermoluminescent response. Without additional treatments to improve the characteristics of these materials, they cannot be considered as being satisfactory alternatives to the Harshaw material. (author)

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[en] Occupational exposures to optical radiation are reviewed in the context of a possible EU proposal for a Directive on Optical Radiation. The impact of using available international guidelines for limiting exposure is discussed. Critical groups are identified and observations made on developing technologies. A significant exposure for many people at work comes from the sun. It is unlikely that engineering controls will be effective in managing exposure to this source. However, many other sources of exposure can be controlled at manufacture, potentially reducing the burden on employers. There are a number of potential exposure situations, particularly relating to the use of light emitting diodes, where exposure data is not available. (author)

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[en] NRPB provides advice on methods of protection against exposure to radiation, including ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The main source of UVR exposure for the majority of the population comes from the sun. Various methods of protection against overexposure to solar UVR, such as sunscreens and sunglasses, exist. Clothing protection by a standardised test method is one of the latest protection methods, forming an important part of an integrated protection policy. A visual inspection of a fabric does not provide a standardised indication of the level of protection and a test method has been developed and published through the British Standards Institution to assess the transmission of UVR through fabric samples. Several factors influence a material's transmission properties, including weave, weight and type and colour of the dyes used. The effects of stretch, wetting and repeated wash cycling on a range of fabric samples are presented. (author)

[en] An experimental investigation is described of the possibility of dose re-assessment by photo-transferred thermoluminescence in the recently developed material LiF:Mg,Cu,P. Using the same photo-transfer parameters of wavelength and irradiance of ultraviolet radiation as used routinely with LiF:Mg, Ti (TLD-100), the percentage re-assessed signals are 3 orders of magnitude lower with LiF:Mg,Cu,P than those obtained with TLD-100 for primary absorbed doses in the range 200 to 1500 mGy. (author)