Section 5 Safe Disposal of Lasers and Associated Waste
5.0) Safe Disposal of Lasers and Associated Waste
There may be units with lasers which do not use other hazardous materials. The supervisors of laser using units (usually laboratories) are, however, responsible for any hazardous materials produced by laser beams and/or used in the laser system itself.
Because laser systems which are potentially operable must remain under the responsibility of an authorized laser supervisor, laser systems cannot be permitted to be abandoned or discarded into the trash.
5.2) Disposal of Laser Associated Wastes
Supervisors and Users shall:
5.2.1) Follow the procedures specified in Section 1.0 for disposal of hazardous materials wastes generated from laser activities.
5.2.2) Follow the procedures specified in Section 2.0 for disposal of hazardous chemical wastes generated from laser activities.
5.2.3) Follow the procedures specified in Section 3.0 for disposal of hazardous biological wastes generated from laser activities.
5.2.4) Follow the procedures specified in Section 4.0 for disposal of radioactive wastes generated from laser activities.
5.3) Disposal/Transfers of Lasers
Supervisors shall not:
5.3.1) Transfer responsibility for a non-exempt laser unless prior approval has been obtained from the EHS Dept. Laser Safety Officer
- Note 1: As indicated above this includes discarding the laser in trash or abandoning it.
Note 2: Temporary transfer of responsibility to the Laser Safety Officer is an option which may be arranged.
The EHS Laser Safety Officer shall:
5.3.2) Verify that a laser system has been so disabled that potential use of the system has been destroyed and that any associated hazardous material waste has been properly processed prior to approving the placement of such a system in the trash. The laser shall then be removed from the university inventory.
5.3.3) Accept responsibility for a laser system if a proposed transfer of the laser is to another employee who is not an authorized user and shall transfer that responsibility when the prospective owner has been certified as an authorized user or laboratory supervisor.
5.3.4) Approve the transfer of the unit to a non-university owner if appropriate and remove the laser from the university inventory or to an authorized laboratory supervisor (who has the appropriate permit, if a permit-requiring laser is involved) and change the inventory information.
5.3.5) Document the actions that have been taken and place these in the records.