Development of a laser entryway safety control system in the research university setting

Industry consensus guidance and good health physics practice dictate laser entryway safety controls for laboratories housing Class 4 laser controlled areas. The design and installation of an effective laser entryway safety control system presents several technical, administrative, and funding challenges. These challenges prompted the Radiation Safety Office at this institution to try a "winwin" approach involving utilization of free student labor to design, construct, and install one such system. This paper outlines the development and installation of the resulting laser entryway safety control system.