Information for Laser Safety Officers (LSO)
As an employee, you will support your employer in implementing accident prevention and health protection provisions.
You will follow the approved safety rules and instructions of your employer in relation to occupational safety and health protection and report any deficits that could impair occupational safety and health protection.
As laser protection officer, you require the relevant specification sheet and must also register with the Operational Environmental and Radiation Protection section (BUSS). The legal requirements for laser protection in Switzerland can be found in the SUVA leaflet external page«Caution: laser beam!».
You can find the most important information on laser safety at ETH Zurich there. If you have questions on laser safety, please write an e-mail to and the BUSS section will be happy to support you.
Chemical Wastewater and Water Protection
The most important tasks and responsibilities for the LSO terms of water conservation are the following:
- Being familiar with the chapters of the DownloadETH Waste Disposal Guideline (PDF, 307 KB) which are related to your line of work
- You perform briefings in accordance with the disposal guidelines of ETH Zurich and monitor compliance with the guidelines
- You follow instructions in relation to water conservation and implement them within your laboratory
- Not discharging any chemicals, e.g. verifiable toxic and persistent substances such as chlorinated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, or heavy metal compounds into the wastewater
- Not using water jet pumps
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Hazardous waste
The DownloadETH Waste Disposal Concept (PDF, 307 KB) applies to all areas of ETH – excluding the cafeterias – and regulates the flow of materials and the responsibilities of all those charged with waste disposal. The aim is to use resources sparingly and to reduce waste.
Hazardous waste is any kind of waste that ‒ on the basis of its composition, its chemical, physical or biological properties ‒ requires special technical and organizational measures to dispose of in an environmentally compatible manner. Included in this category are, for example, acids, alkalis, solvents, medications, and chemicals. Hazardous waste must be collected separately and disposed of at one of the hazardous waste disposal points at ETH Zurich.
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Working with ionizing radiation, e.g. with radioactive materials of a particular activity and/or X-ray instruments, is subject to authorization. In addition, a radiation protection officer who has received training approved by the Swiss Federal Department of Public Health (FOPH) must be appointed.
To apply for a permit, temporarily carry out research with radiation exposure abroad or if you have any general questions about radiation protection, please contact Dr. Silke Kiesewetter.
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If you would like the section Operational Environmental and Radiation Protection (BUSS) to ask for a quotation for laser safety goggles or laser alignment goggles, please fill out Downloadthe online form (PDF, 73 KB). SSHE does not cover costs for laser safety goggles and/or laser alignment goggles.
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The training for becoming a laser safety officer is held by a certified course provider. The course is, however, held upon the order of SSHE Training at ETH Zurich and is administrated by SSHE Training. The course participants will receive a certificate when they pass the required tests. This certificate does not expire within Switzerland, and therefore no refresher course is required.
Further courses and skills must/can be attended or acquired, dependent on the work area, for example:
- Fire safety course
- Gas seminar
- Nanoparticles
- Guided tour of the hazardous waste disposal points
- Handling electricity