aser Safety Committee

Purpose and Function

The Laser Committee is a sub-committee of the Interventional Services Committee, has joint responsibility to the Medical Board and the Safety Coordinating Committee, and is charged with the responsibility of evaluating, approving, monitoring, and correcting hazards associated with the use of all lasers on campus. The LC meets as needed and reports activities to the SCC and the ISC.

Organization and Responsibility

The committee members are appointed by the Chairman of the Laser Committee. The UAMS Laser Safety Officer (LSO) is a member of both the Laser Committee and the Safety Coordinating Committee, and reports at least quarterly to the SCC on activities.

The Laser Safety Officer (LSO) derives authority from the Chairman of the Laser Committee, who is appointed by the Chairman of the Interventional Services Committee, and is directed by actions taken by the Laser Committee.

The responsibilities of the Laser Safty Committee are:

• Advise the credentialing committee regarding applications for laser credentialing within this institution from the standpoint of health and safety of patients and personnel.
• Prescribe special conditions that will be required during a proposed use of a laser source such as requirements for protective equipment and minimum level of training and experience of users.
• Receive and review records and reports from the Laser Safety Officer or other individuals delegated responsibility for laser safety practices.
• Formulate and review the institutional training programs for the safe use of laser sources.
• Maintain written records of actions taken by the committee.
• Review utilization and expenses associated with laser use.
• Capital budget planning for all things related to the use of clinical lasers.

The responsibilities of the Laser Safety Officer are:

• Provide consulting services on all aspects of laser protection.
• Acts as liaison to SCC and reports laser related activities quarterly to SCC.