LSO Workshop: Navigating Uncharted Territory – Lessons Learned in the Class 5 Laser Lab

In 2020, Lockheed Martin ESH leadership identified a need for increased safety controls for emerging high power Directed Energy programs. The OSHA General Duty Clause requires employers to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards, so the corporation chose to set an industry standard by developing its own program for what was termed “Class 5” laser safety. This development process was a collaborative effort between LM personnel and industry experts. By the beginning of 2023, the Class 5 controls were codified in Lockheed Martin’s governing documents called Command Media. After several years of operating within the scope of the Class 5 program, valuable lessons learned are ready to be shared with the laser safety community.

Eric Lawson is an experienced ESH professional specializing in radiation and laser safety. He has been an LSO since 2012 and has supported high power laser operations at Lockheed Martin and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. After spending most of his career in California, he relocated to southern New Jersey where he works for Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems. Eric was instrumental in developing the corporation’s unique “Class 5” laser safety program.