International Electrotechnical Commission

Safety of laser products – Part 2: Safety of optical fibre communication systems (OFCS) - Edition 3.2 Consolidated Reprint
 N 60825-2

Annotation

Scope and object

This Part 2 of IEC 60825 provides requirements and specific guidance for the safe operation and maintenance of optical fibre communication systems (OFCS). In these systems optical power may be accessible outside the confinements of transmitting equipment or at great distance from the optical source.

This Part 2 requires the assessment of hazard levels at accessible locations as a replacement for classification according to IEC 60825-1. It applies to the complete installed end-to-end OFCS, including its components and subassemblies that generate or amplify optical radiation. Individual components and subassemblies that are sold only to OEM vendors for incorporation into a complete installed end-to-end OFCS need not be assessed to this standard, since the final OFCS should itself be assessed according to this standard.

NOTE 1 The above statement is not intended to prevent manufacturers of such components and subassemblies from using this standard if they wish to do so, or are required to do so by contract.

This standard does not apply to optical fibre systems primarily designed to transmit optical power for applications such as material processing or medical treatment.

In addition to the hazards resulting from laser radiation, OFCS may also give rise to other hazards, such as fire.

This standard does not address safety issues associated with explosion or fire with respect to OFCS deployed in explosive atmospheres.

Throughout this part of IEC 60825, a reference to ‘laser' is taken to include light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and optical amplifiers.