Laser Welding in Australia: Why Standard Welding Safety Is Not Enough

Eye injury in nothing new to welders who are already familiar with the need to protect their eyes from “Arc Eye” (photokeratitis), retinal burns, cataracts, foreign bodies and melanoma. But the use of lasers in welding represents a whole new level of risk.

Laser welding has rapidly entered Australian workshops, fabrication businesses and industrial sites. Hand-held laser welders are being imported in growing numbers, often marketed as faster, cleaner and easier to use than traditional MIG or TIG systems. The problem is not the technology. The problem is that many users do not realise they are working with a Class 4 laser, the highest and most dangerous category of laser equipment.

Unlike conventional welding arcs, laser welding systems emit high-energy, often invisible laser radiation. Direct or reflected exposure can cause immediate and permanent eye injury and severe skin burns. Highly reflective metals commonly used in welding, including stainless steel, aluminium and titanium, significantly increase the risk through beam reflection.

Under Australian Workplace Health and Safety legislation, laser safety is not optional knowledge.

What Australian WHS Law Requires for Laser Welding

Across all states and territories, WHS Regulations impose strict duties on any person conducting a business or undertaking. When laser welding equipment is used, the law requires that:

The laser facility is designed and installed to prevent accidental irradiation

Operators and bystanders are protected from direct, reflected or diffused radiation

Only trained and competent workers operate laser equipment

Hand-held laser welders are explicitly classified as Class 4 lasers under AS/NZS IEC 60825.1, meaning the highest level of engineering controls, PPE, procedural controls and training is required .

Failing to meet these obligations can result in serious penalties, personal liability for directors and officers, and prosecution following an incident.

Why Traditional Welding Training Is Not Enough

Many welders assume that laser welding can be treated like MIG or TIG welding with upgraded PPE. This assumption is dangerous.

Laser hazards behave differently. Invisible beams, fibre-optic delivery systems, reflected radiation and unintended activation all create risks that standard welding training does not address. Even experienced welders can be exposed without realising it until injury occurs.

Weld Australia has issued specific safety alerts warning that laser welding should only occur in controlled environments, with interlocks, emergency stops, absorptive enclosures and wavelength-specific eye protection. Most importantly, operators must be formally trained in laser safety principles .

The Safety Requirements for Laser Welding Safety

The Basic Laser Safety Course offered by Bravura Education can meet these requirements.

This course provides welders, supervisors and business owners with a clear understanding of Class 4 laser hazards in welding environments

• Australian standards and WHS legal obligations explained in plain language
• Safe operation principles for hand-held and industrial laser systems
• Risk control measures, PPE requirements and controlled area setup
• Evidence of training to support compliance and insurance requirements

Whether you are introducing laser welding into your workshop, supervising laser operations, or responsible for WHS compliance, this course provides practical, defensible training aligned with Australian expectations.

Laser Welding Is the Future. Safety Training Is Not Optional.

Laser welding offers efficiency and precision. Without proper training, it also introduces serious and irreversible risk. If your business uses or plans to use laser welding equipment, formal laser safety education is no longer optional. It is a legal, ethical and professional responsibility.

Explore the Basic Laser Safety Course and ensure your welding operations are compliant, safe and future-ready.