Safety Enclosures and Interlocks

The most effective safety control is keeping the beam enclosed so it can never reach an operator.

Enclosure Types

Interlock Requirements

Per IEC 60825-1 and ANSI Z136.1, interlocks must:

• Automatically shut off the laser when the enclosure is opened
• Prevent laser activation while the enclosure is open
• Require manual reset after an interlock trip (no automatic restart)
• Fail-safe design — If the interlock system fails, the laser must default to off

If your machine lacks interlocks, add them. Retrofit kits are available for most systems and cost $200–$600 — a trivial expense compared to an injury claim.