ANSI Laser Safety Audits

ANSI 136.3 Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care Facilities:

FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT SAFETY AUDITS (Class IIB and Class IV)
A Laser Safety Audit of the facility and personnel safety features (e.g. eyewear, barriers, area controls, plume removal, warning signs, etc.) and equipment safety features (interlocks, labels, etc) shall be conducted and documented under the supervision of the LSO. The frequency shall be determined by the LSO (recommended annual inspection).

JOINT COMMISSION SURVEY PREPARATION - This On-Site ANSI Safety Compliance Review will identify any weaknesses in your Laser Safety Program in preparation for the un-announced Joint Commission Surveys.

ONE DAY ON- SITE LASER SAFETY COMPLIANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES -

It is our goal to assess the facility’s complete Laser Safety Program to ensure its compliance with the ANSI 136.3 (American National Standards Institute) recommendations for the Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care Facilities, and to make any recommendations or implement any corrective actions to bring the program into such compliance. Such assessment will focus on the Administrative, Procedural and Engineering Controls of the laser safety program. We will address the medical laser patient safety issues in order to assist your facility in The Joint Commission Survey preparation.

FAQ:What's this about an Annual Laser Safety Audit, and why do I need one?
A: In order to be in compliance with the American National Standards Institute Z136.3 Standard for the Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care Facilities, the Laser Safety Officer that administers the overall safety program is required to periodically conduct a formal, written audit of that program. The requirement is periodically "as determined by the LSO", but they recommend it annually. This is a formal assessment and review of your entire program including written laser safety policies and procedures, credentialing requirements, review of incident reports and inspection of all laser and related equipment. Your own LSO may perform this, or we do offer this as a consulting service to your facility.

Failure to maintain such written safety audits may have various implications. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has federal enforcement capability to levy large fines against employers who fail to maintain a safe work environment, and failure to have such periodic safety audits on file would be evidence of negligence. The Joint Commission reviews the structure of Medical Laser Safety programs for compliance with ANSI, and a medical facility could be found deficit in this area with no audits on file. In any malpractice litigation that may arise from laser cases, prosecuting attorneys may require documentation of the formal laser safety program including the periodic audits. Lack of such documentation could lend credence to claims of negligence against the facility. The most important reason to conduct periodic safety audits however is the simple ethical obligation that employers have to keep their employees safe. The Laser Safety Audit is a formalized and systematic way to ensure this.

PRICE: $1500 plus reasonable travel expenses for one person

WANT TO ACCOMPLISH MORE TRAINING, AND EVEN CERTIFICATIONS WHILE WE'RE THERE?
Expand this one day Laser Safety Audit into a 2-3 day training and certification program while we're already out there.
$2500 plus travel for two days, and $3500 plus travel for three days.
The 2-3 day programs can be modified and customized to fit your needs, but the basic structure would be this:
2 Day Program - 1st Day for Laser Techs and Operators - 1/2 Day Lecture, 1/2 Day Hands-on with your lasers.
                           2nd Day for the Laser Safety Audit
3 Day Program - 1st & 2nd Days for the Laser Operators (Day 1), AND Medical Laser Safety Officers (Day 1-2). All lectures.
                           Afternoon of 2nd Day - NCLC Laser Certification Exam - for Certified Medical Laser Safety Officers
                           3rd Day - Combination of Medical Laser Safety Audit and optional Hands-On training with lasers.

For more specifics please call or email Gregory Absten. 305-851-8081, or Absten@LaserTraining.org

Audits performed by Gregory Absten, et al (2015). Click Here for qualifications and Curricula Vitae