IBM SY44-5902-05 manual Service Functions V5R2

Laser Safety Information

Laser Safety Information (for IBM Fiber Optic Link Products)

CAUTION:

This system may contain laser products called the IBM Optical Link Module (OLM), Serial Optical Converter (SOC), or Optical Link Card (OLC). In the United States, these fiber optic links are certified by IBM as Class I laser products that conform to the requirements contained in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) regulation 21 CFR Subchapter J. Internationally, these fiber optic links are certified as Class 1 laser products that conform to the requirements contained in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 825-1 (1993), the CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization) European Norm standard EN60825-1 (1994), and the Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE) standard 0837 (1986). The German testing institute, VDE, has assigned certificate registration number 3642 to all IBM OLM, SOC, and OLC laser products.

The fiber optic links incorporate laser diodes that are either of the gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs) type that emits in the wavelength range of 770 to 860 nanometers or of the indium gallium arsenide phosphide (InGaAsP) type that emits in the wavelength range of 1270 to 1355 nanometers. These fiber optic links incorporate discrete laser diodes that are Class 3B laser products with a rating of approximately 5.0 milliwatts peak power. Once the lasers are assembled into the OLM, SOC, or OLC, the automatic laser control safety system prevents laser emissions from exceeding Class 1 limits during both operation and service. There are no user maintenance operations or adjustments to be performed on IBM OLM, SOC, or OLC products. Class 1 laser products are not considered to be hazardous under any conditions.

The fiber optic links are designed and certified for use in applications with point-to-point optical links only. Use of these products with multiple input or multiple output links (for example, star coupler or fiber splitter) is not compatible with the OLM, SOC, or OLC design and function. In addition, the fiber optic link products must be connected only to other IBM OLM, SOC, or OLC (of the same model) or a compatible laser product. This is especially true for those models that contain both the open link detection safety system called Open Fiber Control (OFC) and the laser power control safety system. (All OLM, SOC, and OLC models contain the laser power control safety system. All OLC models contain OFC, all SOC model have No-OFC, but some OLM models are available with OFC and some have No-OFC.)

These requirements are necessary for the correct operation of the IBM OLM, SOC, and OLC products in any optical communication system. Failure to follow these restrictions could result in the system not operating correctly and the creation of points of access that emit laser radiation above the Class 1 limit specified by either the IEC 825-1 (1993) standard internationally or the DHHS regulation 21 CFR Sub J in the United States. (RSFTC211)

xService Functions V5R2