Burning Man Laser Injury via pointer

[Picasso]

Below is from the Burning Man News letter....

"At this year's Man Burn, one of our Black Rock Rangers sustained a critical eye injury caused by a laser. The Ranger lost vision in one eye and it has not yet returned (at this point doctors say that it may or may not). It goes without saying: this is extremely not okay.

Our past communications about laser safety has focused on large lasers used for installation art pieces and on art cars. We're talking about all lasers now. Small hand-held lasers are cheaper and more powerful than ever before, which means they are more prevalent and cause more of a risk to public safety in Black Rock City.

Lasers at burns have always been annoying. Now they've hurt someone. Realize this: when Rangers set up a burn perimeter, they're facing outward, so the lasers you're zapping the art with are aimed at their faces — as well as the faces of participants across the circle from you. Hand-held lasers you can buy on the Internet can blind people. They are not toys.

We’ve begun a discussion internally about what this means for the laser policy for the 2015 event and beyond. In light of this terrible accident, we're reviewing our policies and procedures and will explore all of the options in terms of changes that may be made for next year's event (because public safety).

Use your common sense. Don't point lasers at people."

[dsli_jon]

..Thanks for posting the 411.. This is just.. Extremely ..Prolly no way-to, but.. For once, I wish they could find the Pointard that did this, and force him to stick a 3W Blue in his... Never mind, I shouldn't post such thoughts, but.. let's just say I'm down with 'an eye for an eye'..

..*THIS* shyte is why THIS will be followed-thru with, till the tool-bag either gets an 'education' / changes his ways, or GsTFO..

j

[planters]

I think a very effective method to stop this stupidity would be to place a few cameras around the auditorium that record the entire audience throughout a performance. Make it known that they are there and warn everyone that there is a given policy about the use of lasers during a show. Any transgressions will lead to civil action and the police will be notified, the recordings will be made available to them if criminal charges are to be made. Assault and grievous bodily harm do not require a gun to be present. Sue the guy for a million or more for loss of an eye and interference with potential future employment by the performer. Press charges for assault. I do not think it is necessary to rely on regulatory bodies to stop this activity. I think you can treat this like a gun (metal detectors etc) or like the situation where a jerk brings a pocket of rocks into the auditorium and starts throwing them at those around him. Security locates him, escorts him out of the building, "accidentally breaks a few of his fingers reliving him of the device and then turns him over to the cops.

[norty303]

Best of luck with all that at a festival such as Burning Man.

Not sure what this 'building' is you refer to...

Hope it doesn't affect laser use generally at BM, I was hoping to be there with some of mine next year.

[mixedgas]

Norty, you should email them and explain to them about the US two meter and three meter rules. Before they try to implement their own wierd stuff.

Steve

[norty303]

TBH, I think they will probably be quite sensible about it, and be able to draw distinctions between projectors and pointers.

[planters]

Picasso,
Obviously,I misunderstood the venue. Could you describe or link to the event that describes how the injury occurred?

[norty303]

http://www.burningman.com/

^^ The event

I couldn't find an official web link for the newsletter but did find some discussions on forums about the incident, and in fact, some discussion from previous years about pointers and eye exposures
http://www.reddit.com/r/BurningMan/c...to_our_fellow/

[MountainGoat]

Sad but not very surprising the way laser powers keep climbing and the prices keep dropping. They are becoming more accessible to any old moron.

How many times in years past have you seen some idiot shining a 5mw red laser into a performers face on stage? Now they can do this with a few watts!

Think of the news reports of big protests such as during the Arab Spring. The police helicopters often had about two dozen green laser pointers shooting at the pilot. If those were "pointers" they were probably obnoxious, but with a couple dozen multi-watt torches aimed at the pilot they maybe more than just an annoyance.

All this makes me wonder if new government regulations will be developed... Pretty soon you'll need something like a concealed weapons permit to carry a laser? (I am half teasing, but it does make you wonder...)

For burning man, this would not be a cure-all, but perhaps having your patrols equipped with laser safety glasses for 532nm might help? Obviously you can't cover the entire spectrum at once but the 532nm lasers seem to be most common?

Very sad to hear someone was injured!
Shining a torch and permanently blinding someone innocent... you know, "good times!" (Heavy sarcasm!)