Which standard is commonly cited for laser safety in the United States?

• A. AFI 48-139
• B. IEC 60825-1
• C. ISO 11553
• D. ANSI Z136.1

Answer: (D)

In the United States, laser safety is commonly guided by ANSI Z136.1, the American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers. This standard lays out how to identify laser hazards, classify lasers, and implement the full set of controls to reduce risk—engineering controls, administrative procedures, and personal protective equipment. It also covers training, signage, and safe operating procedures, which is why it serves as the baseline reference for workplace and institutional laser safety programs. Regulatory bodies like OSHA often align safety programs with Z136.1, and many facilities develop their laser safety plans around it. Other options tend to be more specialized or international: a military instruction is specific to the armed forces, while IEC 60825-1 is an international standard that informs labeling and classifications but isn’t the primary U.S. safety framework, and ISO 11553 focuses on specific safety aspects of laser processing machines rather than general laser safety.