On Drapes being a fire hazard:
Just for info there is a new ISO standard
ISO 11810-1:2005 Ed. 1
Lasers and laser-related equipment -- Test method and classification for the laser resistance of surgical drapes and/or patient protective covers -- Part 1: Primary ignition and penetration
Available through ISO or BSI
http://www.iso.org
http://www.bsi-global.com
Also there is a committee draft for for part 2
ISO/CD 11810-2 Ed. 1
Lasers and laser-related equipment -- Test method and classification for the laser-resistance of surgical drapes and/or patient-protective covers -- Part 2: Secondary ignition (contact me if you are interested in commenting on part 2)
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Photonics
Enabling Metrology Division
National Physical Laboratory
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Taylor [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 27 October 2005 10:59
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Lasers and fire extinguishers
>
>
> The MDA Guidelines are clear enough, and I have always
> interpreted this is
> having means of fighting small fires within a reasonable
> distance, though
> I have never yet been pushed to define 'reasonable.' Outside
> in the corridor
> is OK, down the corridor and round the corner is pushing it,
> I would have
> thought.
>
> Just to compound the issue, our local fire officer no longer
> recommends the
> use of any appiance by staff, to the extent of instructing us
> NOT to try
> to fight fires at his regular fire lectures. For a serious
> outbreak, this
> is wise advice, and avoids the common problems of accidents
> arising directly
> from the use of very noisy and startling CO2 bottles, being
> frozen to the
> nozzle and dropping the thing on your foot, and so on.
> However, the likeliest
> fire event with a class 4 laser is, in my opinion, more
> probably drapes,
> paper, hair or plastic surgical bits, which, if left, could
> easily develop
> into something more serious, but could be extinguished
> quickly with the sterile
> syringe (half a litre is more than just a syringe, but that
> is a different
> issue) or wet cloths, or a small CO2 bottle. Our fire
> officer doesn't seemt
> to have a problem with small extinguishers, just so long as
> we don't get
> to use them!
>
>
> >-- Original Message --
> >Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 09:57:08 +0100
> >Reply-To: British Medical Laser Association <[log in to unmask]>
> >From: Al Crawford <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject: Lasers and fire extinguishers
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >Hi,
> >
> >We're having a bit of trouble with a new fire officer here,
> and could do
> >with some help!
> >
> >Basically I was wondering if there's any recommendation
> anywhere about the
> >need to have a fire extinguisher in a room or theatre when
> there's a Class
> >4
> >laser in use. The only bits of advice I can find in writing
> on this are
> from
> >a 2003 document by the National Care Standards Commission
> (as was) saying
> >that "there should be an appropriate fire extinguisher in
> the near vicinity
> >of a laser" plus of course the 1995 MDA Guidance document
> which says that
> >"there should be easy access to an appropriate fire extinguisher".
> >
> >For many years we've insisted that there be a CO2
> extinguisher mounted
> >inside a laser room or theatre, and in our rules we say that
> laser users
> >should know where the extinguisher is and how to use it in
> the event of
> any
> >incident.
> >
> >This new fire officer is saying that he doesn't see the need
> to have an
> >extinguisher in the room, since there is one nearby
> (actually down the
> >corridor and round the corner - I have visions of people
> rushing frantically
> >in all directions trying to find the wretched thing!). He
> would, however,
> >concede the use of a fire blanket within the room or theatre.
> >
> >Does anyone know of any concrete advice or recommendation
> that we could
> >throw at him on this one, or indeed any consensus view among
> LPAs (if such
> >a
> >thing is possible!) on this topic? Or should we just go
> along with what
> he's
> >saying?
> >
> >Thanks in advance for any help you can give!
> >
> >
> >Al.
> >
> >--
> >
> >Dr Al Crawford
> >Medical Physics Department
> >Queen's Medical Centre
> >Nottingham NG7 2UH
> >UK
> >
> >[log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> >This message has been checked for viruses but the contents
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> legislation.
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
> David Taylor, MA CPhys MInstP MIPEM CSci
> Clinical Scientist, Medical Physics Dept.,
> Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gt Western Rd
> GLOUCESTER, GL1 3NN, UK.
> Tel: +44 (0)8454 225976 or 228201 (new)
> Fax: +44 (0)8454 226489 (new)
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
> ___________________________________________________________
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