Class 4 lasers -Do I need a operating cert/license

norty303 wrote: IainB, if you can't increase distance, increase divergence. I've been using the Pangolin Safetyscan lenses for years (did James demo those?) and they are very good at reducing exposure

Its certainly an eye opener, though I was very much a small fish with the introductions with everyone rolling out Glastonbury, Boomtown sized festivals and me...just starting out  

Lasers are a funny business area really. Historically it would be people who had hobbyist interest then taking out to shows, being taught good practise (or bad!) by other old hands. Then they might go and do a course to get the relevant certs (sort of what I did but not really an old hand...). I knew most of what was covered in James' course, but only because I'd been involved in lots of discussions around safety etc online.
Now there seems to be more people doing lighting/video/sound production that are either looking to step sideways to incorporate lasers, or being asked to do it by clients.
I've been surprised by the numbers of people I hear about with little to no experience doing the course so they can do some of the bigger shows as IainB talked about.
It's growing to be another string to the bow, rather than a specialism it seems.
I guess some part of how I feel about it is the old dog protectionism that old sound guys have about new sound guys with their SMAART and stuff. But you'll never stop progress and its a good thing that lasers are back on the agenda, there was a period where they weren't used so much.