Beam induced damage - what is a safe beam?

The knowledge of damage levels is vital to define protection schemes, beam loss monitor thresholds, safe beam limits for setting up the machines, etc. This talk will try to revisit our present knowledge and assumptions on damage levels in the LHC in terms of lost beam intensity, beam momentum and emittance. It is clear that with the LHC’s unprecedented energy reach, benchmark tests to cross-check energy deposition simulations for all possible energies before LHC start-up have not been possible. Also, the definition of when equipment is damaged is not always straight forward. In view of the obvious limitations to our knowledge of damage levels, operational commissioning and LHC running strategies will be re-discussed, open questions will be highlighted and proposals will be presented where possible.