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Typically you select a class of laser safe for the environment it will be used in -- class 1 is typical of LIDAR systems for this reason which poses no eye damage risk.

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The lasers in these things are often not class 1, but the whole system is. Perhaps it's fairer to say that laser classification is not just about the power of the laser, it's about how it's used and under what conditions. Class 1 basically means that it's safe under normal operation. You can look at the certifications for scanning stations (e.g. Faro put theirs online) and they usually get round it by specifying that the system is spinning, so you don't get hit with a laser that often, and that you're standing far enough away that the divergence is large.

If you somehow fixed the laser and stared into it, it would probably hurt.

See for example: https://knowledge.faro.com/Hardware/3D_Scanners/Focus/Laser_...

according to the test report, if the mirror fails, you would hit dangerous levels of energy deposited within 0.2s and they recommend that the laser must be turned off within 100ms to avoid risk of eye damage.

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