American National Standard N43.2
The problem of radiation hazards connected with the operation of x-ray
diffraction and fluorescence analysis equipment has been a continuing
one since the advent of such equipment. While many improvements have
been made in safety since the last release of this standard, many
pieces of older and custom-built equipment are still in use today. In
addition, new uses have been found in areas like surface and thin film
analysis that were not addressed in the original standard. This
revision is meant to modernize the past recommendations (many of which
are still valid, however) and to provide guidance for x-ray use in new
technologies.
Historically, the American Standards Association (ASA), Sectional
Committee Z54, in 1946 issued American War Standard Z54.1 Safety Code
for the Industrial Use of X-rays which included a section on x-ray
diffraction. In 1967, the ASA was superseded by the USA Standard
Institute, and Sectional Committee Z54 was replaced by Committee N43
under the sponsorship of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS).
Responsibility for the development of the original standard was
assigned to Subcommittee N43-1. American National Standard N43.2-1971
Radiation Safety for X-ray Diffraction and Fluorescence Analysis
Equipment was approved on October 6, 1971, published as NBS Handbook
111, and then reaffirmed with minor revisions in 1976. In 1985, the
Health Physics Society replaced the National Bureau of Standards as the
Secretariat for the N43 Committee.
In 1988 Subcommittee N43.2 reformed to begin updating process and had
the standard reaffirmed in March 1989. Revision work was completed in
December 1998 and the draft received N43 Committee approval April 23,
1999.
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