Was it a good deal or did I get burned

[dzodzo]

just google for "russian party lasers blind" or something similar and you get other articles on the same accident

[buffo]

Better yet, read the write-up on the ILDA website: http://www.laserist.org/2008-07_russian-incident.htm

This video of a Russian news broadcast shows a camera getting hit (and subsequently being ruined) by a laser hit.
Skip to 1:10 to see the laser hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAvFRBEJp58

Adam

[carlos3621]

I cant believe how stupid of someone to audience scan WITH A PULSED LASER!
Might as well been shooting off a gun into the crowd.

[buffo]

The story is that the laser company manager showed up early and set the lasers up so they would fire into the sky. Then he left and put some young (and presumably inexperienced) operator in charge. This was mistake # 1. He assumed the young operator knew what he was doing. He didn't.

Just before the event got going, it started to rain, so they put a tent over the dance floor and DJ equipment. Here is mistake # 2. No one discussed what would be done if it rained. So there was no plan.

With the tent up, you couldn't see the lasers (because they were aimed up into the sky). The promoter said something to the effect of "I paid for lasers, I want to see lasers", so the inexperienced operator aimed the lasers down low so they would be below the tent. That put the beams right into the crowd. That's mistake # 3, and it's a big one. The inexperienced operator allows himself to be bullied by the event promoter, and doesn't think about the safety ramifications of his actions.

And yes, it was a copper-bromide laser, so it was pulsed. The eye (and camera) damage was inevitable at that point.

Adam

[absolom7691]

You know, you read about it and I have, more than once but it's another thing to see it and watch it happening. All those people, having a good time and completely unaware of the danger right in front of them. All because of carelessness, inexperience and complete rectal-cranial inversion.

[AnthonyGarcia]

Sad to see someone giving us young laserists a bad name

[Luthervan]

For anyone interested: When I received this laser the pump diode, cavity, all optics and heaters were missing. Yep, no joke. I posted more about it in the buyer reviews (or whatever its called section. That's my luck.