This is the fifth installment in a series of articles showcasing the diverse qualifications of Rion employees. This edition highlights the qualifications of Laser Equipment Engineers.An employee who holds this qualification shares its significance and scope.Part 5 in the series: I am qualified as a first-class Laser Equipment Engineer. Lasers are incorporated into various equipment ranging from small gadgets like laser pointers to CD players and other systems. Concert lighting is based on lasers and there are tools for cutting metal using powerful lasers. So, I’m qualified to handle lasers incorporated into such equipment safely.I joined Rion in 1997, when Rion had already begun offering a wide range of laser equipment, including particle counters. Against this backdrop, efforts were underway to devise a safety management system for laser equipment. This eventually led to the establishment of the Special Subcommittee on Lasers under the Environmental Management Committee. This subcommittee was tasked with educating laser operators on proper handling procedures and associated risks, ensuring that they had a full understanding before performing their duties. I was handling lasers on the team developing particle counters and was invited to join the special subcommittee on the condition that I acquired the qualification.The examination is held once a year, in December, preceded by a one-week seminar two months before the examination. After the seminar, I spent every weekend preparing in a self-study room at a library. It was challenging—it has been quite a while since I’d studied that hard. But my efforts were rewarded. I passed the exam on the first try. Among the current employees at Rion, only four people, including myself, hold this qualification.At the time I obtained the qualification, the direction of particle counter development was shifting toward higher-power lasers to measure ever-smaller particles. Up to that point, our products had featured Class 3B lasers. The shift meant we had to handle Class 4 lasers, the most powerful and dangerous type. These lasers can burn skin upon contact—and exposure to the eyes without protection risks blindness. What is a Laser Equipment Engineer?The Examination for Laser Equipment Engineers was estab-lished in 1990 by the Optoelectronics Industry and Technolo-gy Development Association. Designed to prevent accidents and hazards associated with laser equipment handling, the program evaluates the knowledge and skills required for laser operators and safety managers and registers those who pass the examination. The program is divided into two categories: first-class and second-class. The first-class examination tests applicants on the professional knowledge required for safety management and safety design associated with the handling of laser equipment; the second-class examination covers basic knowledge of laser equipment and safe handling.Takashi MinakamiDevelopment Department, Particle Counter Division. Joined Rion in 1997. He has been engaged in the development of particle counters for many years and has worked on various projects, including the design and development of the XL-M4B as a member of the development team for viable particle counters. He worked to incorporate deep ultraviolet irradiation devices to improve the accuracy of particle counters. He has also ener-getically participated in pharmaceutical academic conferences.18Just around the time of this shift, I obtained the qualification, and the knowledge I gained while preparing for the examination proved extremely useful in handling high-power lasers.Rion employees must attend in-house training sessions held by the Special Subcommittee on Lasers, pass an exam afterward, and submit a report; otherwise, they are not permitted to handle lasers. I’m one of the instructors responsible for the laser training session. At Rion, completing the in-house training is mandatory for handling lasers except for Class 1, and qualified personnel with appropriate expertise oversee occupational safety and health. Beyond this, since some laser beams are invisible and exposure to such beams may cause injury without awareness, employees involved in development, production, and maintenance are required to undergo an annual funduscopic examination. Thanks to these strict internal rules, no serious incidents involving harm to health have occurred. We, qualified Laser Equipment Engineers, are proud that our knowledge and experience contribute to safety at Rion.Interview and article by Ryosuke Kobayashi Qualifications to safely handle lasers, which are extremely dangerous but indispensable for development workLICENSING AND QUALIFICATIONSLaser Equipment Engineers
元のページ ../index.html#20