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 Post subject: Summary of LED hazards
PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 2:58 pm 
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http://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=28351

Part of what I don't like about LEDs in spite of their many obvious advantages.

The hazards are worse with blue and UV LEDs and very difficult to predict, difficult to see because your eye does not give you warning (as it does with white and longer wavelength LEDs ie. green and longer).
The hazards mentioned are worse if the LEDs are driven with variable power supplies and if overdriven by experimenters.

I myself have cooked many LEDs (mostly yellow ones) and the amount of punishment they can take is remarkable. If at the same time they are emitting hazardous amounts/wavelengths of light then safety glasses (yellow ones) are called for.

In contrast the intensity of a mercury fluorescent tube(or a deuterium lamp) is much less and not as hazardous. The hazards for example with germicidal mercury shortwave tubes would be skin, scleral (the whites of your eyes) or even corneal sunburn. This can be uncomfortable but usually resolves without a problem. (maybe elevated risk of cancer) Retinal scorches though don't really ever correct themselves though your nervous system gets used to the blind spot. (As the physics department humorous safety plaque says "Do not stare at laser aperture with remaining good eye!" :lol: :lol: )


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 Post subject: Re: Summary of LED hazards
PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 11:46 am 
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Thanks Gene. Very provocative read. :shock:


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