SAFETY STRATEGIES FOR THE LASER TECHNOLOG Y APPLICATION

Concerning industrial material processing laser technology has a key f unction. Offering a wide range of production-technical possibilities, laser technology is holding primary and secondary hazards, too. Below we will focus on the different ways how companies confront secondary h azards caused by emissions (aerosols and gases). This empirical study shows that companies develop different strategies to face hazards caus ed by emissions arising during a laser technology application. In this regard it emerged that the company size is only one point to affect o n the selected safety strategy. The knowledge of potential damages to one's health due to emissions seems to be much more important.