dymax BlueWave 200 - Dymax UV Light-Curing System Safety Considerations; UV Exposure Details

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Dymax BlueWave® 200 Version 3.0 User Guide
CAUTIONS & WARNINGS! To prevent eye injury from ultra-violet energy, always wear
UV-blocking protective goggles or a face shield when working with or near the BlueWave 200.
Long-sleeved shirts or a lab coat are also recommended to protect the arms and use of UV-
opaque gloves will protect the hands.
With the internal filter installed, the BlueWave 200 emits UVA and visible light. Never look
directly at the light source while the unit is on.
Always observe safety requirements.
There is risk of electrical shock if cover is removed.
Cover is warm to the touch when the system is in operation.
Dymax UV Light-Curing System Safety Considerations
Operators must understand these four concepts to use the UV light-curing system safely: UV exposure, high-
temperature surfaces, ozone, and bright, visible light. Each is described below.
UV Exposure
Standard Dymax UV light-curing systems and bulbs have been designed to primarily emit UVA light (Figure 1).
UVA light is generally considered the safest of the three UV ranges: UVA, UVB, and UVC. Although OSHA does
not currently regulate ultraviolet light exposure in the workplace, the American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) does recommend Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for ultraviolet light. The strictest
interpretation of the TLV (over the UVA range) for workers’ eyes and skin is 1 mW/cm
2
(intensity), continuous
exposure. Unless workers are placing bare hands into the curing area, it is unusual to exceed these limits. To
put the 1 mW/cm
2
limit into perspective, cloudless summer days in Connecticut regularly exceed 3 mW/cm
2
of
UVA light and also include the more dangerous UVB light (primarily responsible for sun tans, sun burns, and
skin cancer) as well.
Figure 1. UV Spectrum
The human eye cannot detect “pure” UV light, only visible light. A radiometer should be used to measure
stray UV light to confirm the safety of a UV light-curing process. A workstation that exposes an operator to
more than 1 mW/cm
2
of UVA continuously should be redesigned.