WG 5 - TC 76/WG 5

IEC 60825-12:2022 This part is applicable to products that emit laser radiation for the purpose of free space optical data transmission.
This document does not apply to laser products designed for the purposes of transmitting optical power for applications such as material processing or medical treatment. This document also does not apply to the use of laser products in explosive atmospheres (see IEC 60079-0). Light-emitting diodes employed by free space optical communication systems, used for the purpose of free space optical data transmission, do not fall into the scope of this document.

IEC 60825-2:2021 provides requirements and specific guidance for the safe operation and maintenance of optical fibre communication systems (OFCSs). In these systems, optical power is possibly accessible outside the confines of the transmitting equipment and/or at great distance from the optical source.
This document requires the assessment of hazard level at each accessible location of the OFCS as a replacement for product classification according to IEC 60825-1. It applies to the installed OFCS as an engineered, end-to-end assembly for the generation, transfer and receipt of optical radiation arising from lasers, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or optical amplifiers, in which the transference is by means of optical fibre for communication and/or control purposes.
Individual components and subassemblies that fall under the definition of a laser product are subject to the applicable subclause(s) of IEC 60825-1. This document is applicable to individual components and subassemblies intended to be installed within OFCSs.
This document 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, OFCSs possibly give rise to other hazards, such as fire.
This document does not address safety issues associated with explosion or fire with respect to OFCSs deployed in explosive atmospheres.
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition published in 2004, Amendment 1:2006 and Amendment 2:2010. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition.
a) Recommendations for individual components and subassemblies have been clarified; see Clause 1, paragraph 3.
b) C7 has been revised in accordance with IEC 60825-1:2014, but with an additional limitation related to the skin MPE; see 4.7.2.
c) Condition 2 has been changed, and a detailed description of the measurement and determination method for hazard level has been added; see 4.7.1 and 4.7.2.
d) Annex B has been moved into 4.9. Annex F has been moved forward as Annex B.
e) Clause D.4 Hazard level evaluation examples – Additional examples have been added.
f) Clause D.5 Fault analysis – Explanation and guidance has been simplified.
The contents of the corrigendum of June 2021 have been included in this copy.

IEC 60825-12:2019 is available as IEC 60825-12:2019 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC 60825-12:2019 provides requirements and specific guidance for the manufacture and safe use of laser products and systems used for point-to-point or point-to-multipoint free space optical data transmission in the wavelength range from 180 nm to 1 mm. This document only addresses the open beam portion of the system. If portions of the equipment or system incorporate optical fibre that extends from the confinements of the enclosure(s), the manufacturing and safety requirements in IEC 60825-2 apply to those portions only. This document does not apply to systems designed for the purposes of transmitting optical power for applications such as material processing or medical treatment. This document also does not apply to the use of systems in explosive atmospheres (see IEC 60079-0). Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) employed by free space optical communication systems (FSOCSs), used for the purpose of free space optical data transmission, do not fall into the scope of this document. This document covers lasers employed by FSOCSs used for the purpose of free space optical data transmission. This document:
• provides information to protect people from potentially hazardous optical radiation produced by FSOCSs by specifying engineering controls and requirements, administrative controls and work practices according to the degree of the hazard; and
• specifies requirements for manufacturing, installation, service and operating organizations in order to establish procedures and provide written information so that proper precautions can be adopted.
Because of the nature of FSOCSs, also known as optical wireless or free-air information transmission systems, care is taken in their manufacture as well as their installation, operation, maintenance and service to assure the safe deployment and use of these systems. This document places the responsibility for certain product safety requirements, as well as requirements for providing appropriate information on how to use these systems safely, on the manufacturer of the system and/or transmitters. It places the responsibility for the safe deployment and use of these systems on the installer and/or operating organization. It places the responsibility for adherence to safety instructions during installation and service operations on the installation and service organizations as appropriate, and during operation and maintenance functions on the operating organization. It is recognized that the user of this document may fall into one or more of the categories of manufacturer, installer, service organization and/or operating organization as mentioned above. This document does not apply to a laser product if classification by the manufacturer according to IEC 60825-1 shows that the emission level does not exceed the accessible emission limit (AEL) of Class 1 under all conditions of operation, maintenance, service and reasonably foreseeable failure.
Key words: Laser products, Free space optical data, Free space optical communication.

IEC TR 60825-17:2015(E) recommends safety measures to protect against effects caused exclusively by thermal, opto-mechanical and related effects in passive optical components and optical cables used in high power optical fibre communication systems. It does not apply to the use of high power optical systems in explosive atmospheres or the use of optical fibres in material processing machines. Throughout this part of IEC 60825, a reference to laser is taken to include light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and optical amplifiers. This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2010. This edition constitutes a technical revision.

IEC/TR 60825-17:2010(E) recommends safety measures to protect against effects caused exclusively by thermal, opto-mechanical and related effects in passive optical components and optical cables used in high optical power fibre communication systems. IEC/TR 60825-17:2010 does not apply to the use of high power optical systems in explosive atmospheres or the use of optical fibres in material processing machines. Throughout this part of IEC 60825, a reference to 'laser' is taken to include light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and optical amplifiers.

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. The objective of this Part 2 of IEC 60825 is to:
- protect people from optical radiation resulting from OFCS;
- provide requirements for manufacturers, installation organizations, service organizations and operating organizations in order to establish procedures and supply information so that proper precautions can be adopted;
- ensure adequate warnings are provided to individuals regarding the potential hazards associated with OFCS through the use of signs, labels and instructions.
The contents of the interpretation sheet 1 of April 2008 and 2 of June 2018 have been included in this copy.