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Radiation in the workplace

In this section:

• Laser pointers

• Office equipment

• WiFi networks

Laser pointers 

Used as presentation aids by speakers and teachers, laser pointers have become increasingly common over the last decade.  Their increased availability and use as a cheap novelty item raises the possibility of accidental or deliberate misuse, making them a hazard.

Laser pointers currently available emit a very narrow beam of red light, which diverges only slightly with distance.  It can be concentrated into a tiny spot and can cause permanent damage if the laser is shone straight into the eye.

Although the risk of permanent damage from a laser pointer is small, temporary effects are more common.  Momentary viewing of the beam from a laser pointer may cause distraction and temporary loss of vision.  The NRL recommends that only Class 1 or Class 2 laser pointers be used, and that laser pointers should not be given to children as toys.

Further information can be found in the NRL Information sheets. IS 24  Safe use of laser pointers and IS 20  Laser safety, which gives more detailed information on the laser classification scheme.

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Office equipment

If there is a lot of office equipment (computers, fax machines, laser printers etc) together in a small area, do they produce dangerous levels of radiation?

No. Like any other electrical appliance, the voltages and currents in modern office equipment produce electric and magnetic fields, which are not a form of radiation. Measurements have shown that the strengths of the fields to which office staff are exposed are generally unaffected by the number of pieces of equipment in an office, and that they are well below health-based exposure limits recommended in New Zealand and overseas.

For more information go to:
Fact sheet 201 of the World Health Organization.  This information sheet provides information on emissions from VDUs and human health implications.

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Exposures to radiofrequency fields from WiFi networks

WiFi information has been transferred to its own web page under the Public Advice menu. 

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