Eye protection in DWDM systems -- what threshold?

Tue Jun 9 20:06:58 UTC 2009

Leo Bicknell wrote:
> In a message written on Tue, Jun 09, 2009 at 01:06:42PM -0500, Richard A Steenbergen wrote:
>> The only problem with those funny signs is they scare remote hands techs 
>> into never looking at a fiber because they don't want to try and 
>> understand the difference between a SX GBIC and a class 3 ultra longhaul 
>> amp.
> 
> Save your poor techs eyes, and make them more reliable all at the same
> time:
> 
> http://search.newport.com/?sku=F-IRC2-F
> 

This conversation has gone places I didn't expect. Leo, that card is 
pretty cool, but for a few hundred $$ more, you can get a light meter 
(if someone is smart enough to use the card...)

Does anyone *use* any eye protection (other that not looking at the 
light, turning off the light etc) -- I mean like protective goggles, 
etc, when doing simple things like adding/removing patch cables from an 
SMF patch panel.

I get that if you *know* the gear you are using has a Class 3 laser on 
it, you should be careful... but when you are patching it into a 
building's cable plant and some schmuck is patching the last leg in for 
you (or has pulled it accidentally, etc).. um, "don't look at it" is our 
community's BCP?

DJ