Hello, and thank you for your post.
I am sorry about the delay in our response, but somehow your message wasn't showing up until we logged out and then back in.
First let me say that it is difficult to asses the hazard potential and level of laser light given pictures alone. In fact, one of the failings of recent laser show competitions (which judge the shows entirely in video) is that they try to assess the level of safety based solely on what is seen in the video. In both video and pictures, things may appear bright when they are dim in real life and vice-versa. Because of that, and because we do not want to fail in the same way as the other entity who is judging laser shows on video, we will not draw any final conclusions based on the pictures that you posted.
However, in general a laser show producer would always want to keep lasers away from audience members unless they could prove the following:
1. That the level of light entering audience areas has been measured, and that the measured light level does not exceed internationally- (or at least locally-) recognized norms of laser safety.
(Note that this measurement might not be all that easy, especially for scanning beams. Most laser power meters will not adequately assess scanning beams because of the scanning and temporal (often modulated) nature of the laser beams.)
2. That if the system relies on a certain maximum power level being projected, there are "engineering controls" (for example, real-time monitoring of the power level) in place to make sure that if this maximum power level is exceeded, the projection would immediately be terminated.
3. Similarly, if the system relies on scanning action to maintain safety, that there are "engineering controls" (for example scan fail safe-guards) in place to make sure that, if the scanning slows down or ceases, the projection would immediately be terminated.
Within the United States, where light levels are strictly controlled and enforced by government, this generally means that projectors would be required to have our Professional Audience Safety System (PASS) installed before lasers could be projected into audience areas.
Best regards,
William Benner
