H-3 on submarines

[haes@MIT.EDU (Donald L. Haes, Jr. )]

Not to extend the H-3 thread too far, but . . . .

I was an ELT on board the USS Puffer (SSN-652) in the late 1970s. As I recall, the 
protocols for contamination surveys on the sub, and even in my ELT training at S1C 
at KAPL, were to routinely survey all accessible areas for removable and fixed 
contamination by use of a 1" paper "smear", and direct readings, respectively. 

The limits for removable contamination were 450 uuCi (yes, micro-micro curies 
[called "micky-mikes"], or E-12; don't ask ME why "pico" wasn't used) per 100 cm^2.
The smears were counted on a tungsten/alloy-shielded GM pancake detector set-up in 
the "nuke" lab.  The limit corresponded to 250 cpm above background, as marked by 
a movable needle on the meter face.


Pertaining to this protocol, has anything changed in the last 25 or so years?