User's Manual

will cause damage to the eyes of humans and animals. The normal use of a
bar code scanner is inherently very safe because (a) the laser is typically
aimed away from the person using the scanner, and (b) the beam oscillates
39 times per second over a 53° arc, making it impossible to stare into the
beam. Additionally, using the lower powered Class 1 laser makes it even
less likely that eye damage will occur. There are certain organizations in
Europe, in fact, that require a Class 1 laser in bar code scanners to meet
more stringent safety standards. The Socket CF RFID Reader-Scan Scan
Card with Class 1 laser meets these European safety standards. Please refer
to the Regulatory Compliance section at the end of this User’s Guide for
more detailed safety information.
Conclusion
The Class 1 laser is suitable for most applications with expected scanning
distances of less than 20 inches and normal ambient light conditions. The
Class 1 laser may be required by certain European organizations to meet
more stringent safety standards. When an application is likely to require
more demanding scanning capabilities, the Class 2 laser provides the
assurance of maximum scanning performance.
Note: People who use portable computers to gather and manage data at the
point of activity are typically very quick to learn how to use a laser bar code
scanner and realize the resulting gains in productivity. They are easily
discouraged, however, if time and effort are required to obtain a successful
scan – thus the decline in popularity of the much less expensive bar code
contact wands seen at most retail checkout counters during the 1980’s. The
higher cost of the Class 2 version of the CF RFID Reader-Scan Card is
easily justified if the application requires higher scanning performance.
APPENDIX C: BAR CODE LABEL SPECIFICATIONS | 47