Path: utzoo!dciem!king
From: king@dciem.dciem.dnd.ca (Stephen King)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Are checkout-counter lasers hazardous?
Message-ID: <2826@dciem.dciem.dnd.ca>
Date: 9 Jan 90 13:18:57 GMT
References: <189@bucsb.UUCP> <446@sierra.stanford.edu>
Reply-To: king@dretor.dciem.dnd.ca (Stephen King)
Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 10

In article <446@sierra.stanford.edu> siegman@sierra.UUCP (Anthony E. Siegman) writes:
>I'd be very surprised if a supermarket laser scanner were hazardous.

They aren't. The output of the laser tube is VERY carefully controlled. 
The scanning is done via a rotating mirror, so the beam never lingers on
one spot, but is always in motion. There are numerous safety features which
shut the laser off should emmission exceed a certain amount, or should the
scanning motor fail. Nevertheless, it's still not a good idea to look
directly into one when it is operating.