Legality of owning and using a high powered laser??

[Hayden]

I'm finding it very difficult to find information on legality of lasers in Australia.

Not really the fact of obtaining the laser BUT using them as I want to do the right thing before I use it.

I've got a laser light as I do production for festivals and concerts and the laser is a cheap one BUT it works so so good great patterns and effects. It could be humm maybe up to a 20w laser but I don't know I doubt it BUT it is so so bright as it does a solid beam for an extreme distance on a very clear night and can burn stuff up close.

On setups I never EVER have lasers point into the crowd they are always a couple of meters above head hight at their lowest point even the real low powered ones I never shine into the crowd (better to be safe).

Any information on the legality of owning a high powered laser and using one would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dave_H]

I can't answer your question specifically but a good place to start is by "class" (1-4 and sub-classes). Try a web search on "laser class" or similar (but you might come up with things regarding sailboats...)

Here's a start:

Australian Laser Safety Standards - Cody Corporation

When it comes to using Laser Levels on a construction site Australian laser safety standards apply. There rules and restrictions

lasersurveyingequipment.com.au

The legality and safety are connected somehow, perhaps a permit system for higher classes (3-4)?

I've never owned anything stronger than an ordinary pointer, class 2.

Ones which are "eye safe" would be at the low end. A 20W laser is brutal, would burn holes in anything; are you sure it is not 20mW? Or perhaps 20W total with multiple lower beams...not familiar with stage lighting too much.

Dave

 

[Hayden]

Thankyou heaps Dave, great information

Yes it is brutal and does burn stuff. On a clear night with no smoke or dust in the air you can see a solid beam looks like it hits the clouds way up.

It's a big laser block with fans on the laser block like the block is the size of your palm. It's a cheap one so cheap it has no model on the unit or identification markings on the laser block so I don't know what it is. It's a programmable one so it can do what ever effect or words you like and that's why I like it haha.



So what I'm getting out of all of this is: that it is legal BUT I have to use it according to the safety standards….. is that right? Which you should be anyway.

I don't want to get into trouble for just holding it like for just owning one, for an example it's not like an ak47 which it's illegal for just owning one even if you don't use it.

Cheers