Our Documents

REQUIREMENTS

• Rules
• Orders
• Manuals

We document our requirements in rules, orders (designated by "O"), and manuals (designated by "M"). Our requirements establish DOE expectations and specify the criteria that must be met to ensure safe and reliable operations. They identify what must be done, but they do not provide instructions on how the work is to be done. Our requirements also identify roles and responsibilities of DOE organizations in meeting these requirements.

We establish requirements through

	public rulemaking and
	the consensus processes for DOE directives.

Our guides (designated by "G"), identify acceptable methods for performing work in a manner that meets DOE requirements. Each guide typically provides information on how to meet the criteria in a particular rule, order, or manual. Our guides also provide a link between DOE requirements and technical standards by listing the set of technical standards that can be used to implement a set of requirements. The technical standards identified in guides include both DOE technical standards and technical standards developed by government and nongovernment consensus bodies external to DOE that are acceptable to DOE.

Technical standards are the foundation upon which our hierarchy of directives is based and include handbooks (designated by "HDBK"), standards (designated by "STD"), and technical standard lists (designated by "TSL"). Technical standards identify specific methods and techniques that may be used implement our requirements and they provide the basis for working level procedures. The use of technical standards also helps us to standardize our activities, which can improve safety and reduce costs.

The Office of Nuclear and Facility Safety Policy issues technical positions to clarify its requirements.