From August 25th to 30th, 2024, the International Electrotechnical Commission's Technical Committee on Radiation Safety and Laser Equipment (IEC/TC76), which corresponds to SAC/TC284, held its 2024 conference and working group meeting in Kitakyushu, Japan. The conference was hosted by the IEC National Committee of Japan and attended by 66 representatives from 15 countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Chinese delegation consists of 15 people from 11 units, with Jiang Dongsheng serving as the head of the delegation from the 11th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, which is responsible for SAC/TC284 Secretariat.

Group photo of all national representatives attending the conference

The Chinese delegation participated in 2 plenary meetings of IEC/TC76, 17 meetings of 7 working groups and 2 joint working groups, and participated in discussions on 16 international standard process documents currently under development. The 16 procedural international standards are:

The 7 working groups and 2 joint working groups are: WG1: Optical Radiation Safety Working Group; WG3: Laser Radiation Measurement Working Group; WG4: Safety Working Group for Medical Laser Equipment; WG5: Security Working Group for Fiber Optic and Free Space Optical Communication Systems; WG7: Working Group on High Power Lasers and Laser Systems; WG8: Working Group on Developing and Maintaining Basic Standards and Supporting IEC Publications; WG9: Working Group on Non Laser Radiation Safety; JWG10: IEC/ISO Joint Working Group on the Safety of Lasers and Laser Equipment in Industrial Materials Processing Environments; JWG12: Joint Working Group on Laser Radiation Protection for Eyes and Face.

Group photo of offline participants of the Chinese delegation

During the conference, a powerful typhoon that Japan had not encountered in many years hit, causing transportation to be suspended throughout the city and public places to shut down. Under the organization of the Japanese conference organizer and the IEC/TC76 Secretariat, the closing plenary session was temporarily changed to an online meeting. At the closing ceremony, the conveners of the AAG, WG1, WG3, WG4, WG5, WG7, WG8, WG9, JWG10, and JWG12 working groups gave a report on the situation of this meeting. Ms. Annette Frederiksen, Secretary of IEC/TC76, made a work summary, and Mr. Pierre Sebelin, an IEC official, introduced the new adjustment of IEC work procedures. The participating countries voted on 10 proposals and unanimously passed them, and the meeting ended successfully as planned. The Chinese delegation actively responded to and overcame difficulties, completed the conference tasks, and all members returned to China on schedule.

The key tasks of the Chinese delegation at this meeting are:

1. Feng Jianguo, the convener of the standard project, reported at the JWG10 working group meeting on the preparation of the technical content of the second edition of the working group draft of "ISO/IEC 11553-2 Mechanical Safety - Laser Processing Machines - Part 2: Safety Requirements for Handheld Laser Processing Equipment" undertaken by China, as well as the summary and processing of the standard solicitation of opinions. Experts from participating countries conducted deliberations and discussions. The standard project has smoothly entered the next stage of standard development work.

2. Chinese experts Professor Mou Tongsheng and Dr. Mou Xi presented a research report titled "Photobiosafety Assessment Testing of Pulse/Modulation Light Sources" at the WG9 working group meeting. This report is a preliminary preparation for the proposal of the new international standard "Pulse Light Biometry" planned by China. The report introduces some potential issues and related solutions for pulse light biomeasurement at present. Pulsed light is the most important form of luminescence for non phase light biosafety, and there is currently a lack of corresponding international standards for measurement methods, as well as a series of potential measurement issues. A unified testing method needs to be established. This standard proposal will be led by China.

3. Professor Mou Tongsheng, a Chinese expert, continues to serve as the liaison for the IEC/TC76 and IEC/TC110 Electronic Display Technology Committees.

The Chinese delegation successfully and unexpectedly completed the tasks of this conference:

1. Invite officials from IEC/TC76 and experts from the working group to come to China in 2025 to exchange and visit relevant committee units of the Standardization Committee (SAC/TC284), understand the situation of China's laser industry and laser standards, and promote more participation of China's laser standardization work in international standardization work.

2. After friendly discussions between officials from SAC/TC284 and IEC/TC76, it has been preliminarily agreed that the 2027 IEC/TC76 conference will be held in China.