HPS N13.3-2013 PDF Download

The HPS N13.3-2013 standard provides guidelines and requirements for operations involving a potential criticality accident and personnel exposure. The standard focuses on the quantity of absorbed dose, measured in gray (Gy) or rad, and does not address other dosimetric quantities.

This standard emphasizes the use of absorbed dose, as it is applicable for acute doses that may result in immediate nonstochastic effects. The range of personnel absorbed doses covered by this standard is approximately 0.1 to 10 Gy (10 to 1,000 rad).

The standard outlines the requirements and performance criteria for implementing and maintaining a dosimetry system capable of measuring personnel absorbed doses during a criticality accident. This system may include physical detectors such as activation foils and photon dosimeters, as well as biological samples and analysis capabilities based on models, known geometry effects, and eyewitness reports.

The individual absorbed dose estimates obtained from the dosimetry system serve several purposes. They help prioritize medical attention based on the level of absorbed dose, provide information for correlating doses with biological responses, enable reporting to regulatory agencies and the public, and contribute to the derivation of integrated lifetime exposure records.

If dosimetry services are outsourced, the procuring organization is responsible for ensuring that the criteria outlined in this standard are met.