1、 Standard Basic Information
GB 44703-2024 "General Requirements for Optical Radiation Safety" was jointly released by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the
National Standardization Administration on September 29, 2024, and will be officially implemented on October 1, 2026. This standard is a mandatory
national standard at the top level of China's optical radiation safety field, with legal binding force. All laser products within the scope of application
must comply with it.
2、 Scope of application
This standard is applicable to laser products within the wavelength range of 180 nm to 1 mm, covering industrial lasers, medical laser equipment,
communication laser modules, laser display/lighting products, laser components in consumer electronics, etc. At the same time, the standards also
cover the safety control of light radiation during the operation of these products.
3、 Risk classification system
The standard establishes a dual track risk classification method of "professional classification" and "general classification".
The general grading (for public understanding) is divided into four levels from low to high:
Exemption level: No risk of injury, corresponding to Class 1 laser products
Low risk level: Short term scanning is safe, while prolonged direct gaze poses a risk of injury, corresponding to laser 1C/1M/2/2M/3R products
Medium risk level: Staring can cause eye or skin damage, corresponding to Class 3B laser products
High risk level: Direct irradiation or diffuse reflection may cause injury, corresponding to Class 4 laser products
The professional classification (technical judgment basis) still needs to be determined according to GB/T 7247.1 (laser product safety), and the
specific category can be determined by measuring the achievable emission limit (AEL).
4、 Safety signage requirements
The product must have both types of identification, neither of which is indispensable.
The universal logo adopts a four-color arrow design (green/yellow/orange/red), with arrows pointing to the actual risk level, making it easy for
ordinary people to visually identify.
Professional identification includes three types of graphic signs: warning, prohibition, and instruction, and indicates key technical parameters such
as laser safety level, wavelength range, and maximum output power/energy. 3R class and above laser products also need to add a "laser window"
special mark on the output window.
The instruction manual must include a risk level description, hazard distance (NOHD), and specific protective measures.
5、 Product safety control requirements
Standardize from two dimensions: technology and management.
At the technical level, enterprises need to identify the sources of light radiation safety risks, clarify the products, personnel, workplaces, and control
and protection measures corresponding to the risk level, and adopt engineering control measures (such as safety interlocks, protective covers,
embedded beam blockers, etc.) to ensure that the achievable emission does not exceed the corresponding level of AEL limit.
Management level: It is necessary to incorporate the management of light radiation safety into the enterprise's occupational health and safety
management system to ensure the effective operation of the system.
6、 Work process safety control
For the first time, the standard includes the "product working process" in the scope of mandatory safety control, not only requiring the product itself
to meet standards, but also requiring enterprises to establish complete safety records in the use, maintenance, and repair processes. Special tools must
be used for the maintenance of Class 3B and above products, and a safety assessment must be conducted again after maintenance.
7、 Core projects for testing and certification
The submitted products need to undergo full testing in a standard darkroom environment, with the main testing parameters including:
Achievable emission limit (AEL): Determine whether the actual output of the product exceeds the limit of the corresponding safety level
Wavelength and Spectral Distribution: Confirm whether the laser wavelength is within the nominal range
Output power/energy: continuous optical measurement power, pulse optical measurement single pulse energy and repetition rate
Beam divergence angle and opposite angle: affecting hazard distance calculation
Apparent light source size: used to determine the opposite angle and make classification corrections
Identification compliance: Check whether product labels and instructions comply with standard format and content requirements
If the measured data exceeds the AEL limit of the target level, it needs to be rectified through optical path improvement, embedded design, or
downgrade classification before retesting.
8、 Testing cycle and preparation for inspection
The regular testing cycle is 7-10 working days. If the initial test fails, rectification and retesting are required, with an additional 3-5 working days.
The technical documents that need to be prepared before submission for inspection include: product specifications, circuit schematics, expected
usage environment instructions, and electronic documents of existing safety labels (indicating levels, wavelengths, maximum output power, etc.).
The sample submitted for inspection must be completely consistent with the mass-produced version. If the optical path structure or laser module
is changed after inspection, the original inspection report will automatically become invalid.
9、 Qualification requirements for testing institutions
Enterprises should choose third-party laboratories with the following qualifications:
CNAS accreditation (China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment): ensuring international mutual recognition of testing capabilities
CMA qualification certification: ensuring that testing reports have legal validity
GB/T 7247.1 and GB 44703 related testing authorization: Confirm that the laboratory has the ability to classify laser safety levels and conduct optical
radiation safety testing
The laboratory measurement power range should be able to cover the actual output of the product (from picowatts to kilowatts), and the pulse
measurement capability should match the pulse width of the product (up to picoseconds).
10、 Compliance Time Planning Suggestions
Considering that the standard will be enforced on October 1, 2026, it is recommended that companies:
Complete the first batch of product inspections and obtain testing reports by the end of 2025
Reserve sufficient inventory digestion cycle to avoid the circulation of old label products after mandatory implementation
High risk products (such as medical lasers and industrial processing lasers) should be given priority for compliance transformation
Incorporate the establishment of optical radiation safety records into the daily quality management system of the enterprise
For products exported to overseas markets at the same time, it is recommended to plan for IEC 60825-1 (International Laser Safety) or FDA 21 CFR 1040.10
(US Laser) certification simultaneously to achieve "one test, multiple certifications" and reduce the cost of repeated testing.
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