IEC 60825-1 is applicable to safety of laser products emitting laser radiation in the wavelength range 180 nm to 1 mm.

A laser product may consist of a single laser with or without a separate power supply or may incorporate one or more lasers in a complex optical, electrical, or mechanical system. Typically, laser products are used for demonstration of physical and optical phenomena, materials processing, data reading and storage, transmission and display of information, etc. Such systems have found use in industry, business, entertainment, research, education, medicine and consumer products.

Laser products that are sold to other manufacturers for use as components of any system for subsequent sale are not subject to IEC 60825-1, since the final product will itself be subject to this standard. However, if the laser system within the laser product is operable when removed from the equipment, the requirements of this Part 1 apply to the removable unit.

Any laser product is exempt from all further requirements of this Part 1 if classification by the manufacturer of that product according to Clauses 3, 8 and 9 shows that the emission level does not exceed the AEL (accessible emission limit) of Class 1 under all conditions of operation, maintenance, service and failure.

In addition to the hazards resulting from laser radiation, laser equipment may also give rise to other hazards such as fire and electric shock.

This Part 1 describes the minimum requirements. Compliance with this Part 1 may not be sufficient to achieve the required level of product safety. Laser products must conform to the applicable performance and testing requirements of the applicable product safety standards.

Where a laser system forms a part of equipment which is subject to another IEC product safety standard (e.g. for medical equipment (IEC 60601-2-22), IT equipment (IEC 60950), audio and video equipment (IEC 60065), equipment for use in hazardous atmospheres (IEC 60079), or electric toy...