European survey on laser safety management in medical settings

Purpose. The European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP) Working Group on Policy Statement 21 aims to highlight the role of the medical physics expert in management of medical laser sources. To inform this work, a survey on laser safety management was developed and distributed to all 37 EFOMP National Member Organisations (NMOs) across Europe. This aimed to understand, in broad terms, arrangements for medical laser safety in these countries, including the regulatory framework, practical safety arrangements for workers and patients, and safety training.

Methods. The 16 question survey was distributed to NMO presidents in November 2024. Questions required a mix of multiple choice answers and open-ended text answers. One laser safety representative from each NMO responded for each country.

Results. 25 NMO responses were received. Results showed some lack of awareness on regulatory issues – 10 respondents were not aware of a regulatory body for laser safety. There was variation in the level of expert and local supervision – 13 indicated laser protection officers for local supervision of laser work was not usual, and 13 indicated a laser safety expert was not normally appointed to an organisation. 23 reported either in-house or manufacturer laser training, however only 15 reported having laser safety documentation.

Conclusion. The survey results indicate that the standard of medical laser safety arrangements vary considerably between European countries. This indicates there is work to be done to ensure that a consistent approach is taken across Europe to minimise laser risks to workers and patients.