ASN Report 2017

229 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017 Chapter 08  - Regional overview of nuclear safety and radiation protection GRAND EST of prevention plans with the outside contractors or private practitioners nevertheless remains varied. Improvements have been observed in setting up and applying procedures for managing significant events. This has moreover revealed a substantial rise in significant events associated with patient injection errors. Lastly, the regular updating of the licenses issued by ASN should be better anticipated by the centres. Computed tomography and dental radiology ASN conducted 6 inspections of CT scanners in 2017, keeping its attention focused on reviewing the patient radiation protection measures taken by the centres in a context where occupational radiation protection is improving. This situation nevertheless fits in with the continuous development, over the long term, of this type of examination which represents a significant cause of exposure of the French population to ionising radiation. ASN has observed that more arguments are given to justify procedures and that effective optimisation of procedures and the defining of examination protocols have become widespread practices. The regulatory controls (quality controls, technical controls) are in place, but the possible nonconformities merit being taken into consideration more rapidly. The fact remains that contrasted situations exist, particularly with regard to organisation on the scale of a given centre or economic interest groupings combining teams from the public and private sectors. A remote inspection campaign focusing on dental radiology confirmed the conformity of certain facilities and identified the additional inspections required in others. 1.3 Radiation protection in the industrial, research and veterinary sectors Industrial radiography ASN carried out 20 inspections in industrial radiography and gamma radiography activities in 2017 and found extremely varied situations. Some companies rigorously apply the radiation protection rules, while for others ASN has been obliged to put in place tightened monitoring. As in 2016, the main deviations observed concerned the signalling and cordoning off of work zones with, in addition, a poor predicted dose estimate. It also emerges that worksite preparation is insufficient. ASN drew up and transmitted to the Public Prosecutor a violation report following the observation of an unacceptable lack of rigour in the preparation of a job and the application of the radiation protection rules by the operators responsible for handling the radiography device. Universities and laboratories or research centres The 3 inspections ASN carried out in the research centres of the region show that these centres usually have very high level skills and are fully conversant with the radiation protection issues from the operational viewpoint, with a good degree of involvement of the Radiation Protection Expert-Officers (RPE-O). Shortcomings are however regularly observed in the rigour with which the regulations are applied, and some nonconformities are recurrently observed: technical controls lacking or incomplete, inadequate management of sources surplus to requirements and of legacy waste, weaknesses in the radiation protection training of personnel and shortcomings in job and work environment studies, administrative deviations with respect to the authorised scope of activity. The substantial work initiated by the research clusters of the region to bring the administrative situation of all their entities into compliance must be continued, particularly when licensed nuclear activities are transferred or stopped. The strong involvement of the RPE-O is to be underlined, despite their often undervalued positioning in the organisation of the licensees’ departments. 1.4 Radiation protection of the public and the environment Contaminated sites and soils Continuing in line with the preceding years, ASN contributed – along with decentralised government services and Andra – to dealing with the legacy radioactive contamination resulting from operation of the former Orflam-Plast plant in Pargny- sur-Saulx (Marne département ). After the work to render safe the main areas impacted, the management of the last plots accommodating dwellings continued in 2017. A one-off case mobilised ASN and the Dreal inspectors for ICPEs (Installations Classified for Protection of the Environment) following the discovery of low-level radioactive waste stored without precautionary measures in the vicinity of a scrap metal collection site at the port of Strasbourg, causing local contamination of the soils. The licensee placed the waste in safe-keeping and decontaminated the land without delay; the inspectors informed the Public Prosecutor, and conducted a further inspection to verify that things were back to normal. 1.5 Nuclear safety and radiation protection in the transport of radioactive substances In the area of small-scale nuclear activities, ASN carried out 7 inspections focusing on radioactive substance transport operations. They reveal varying situations in the implementation of the European regulatory provisions (ADR regulations) by the carriers. The requirements coming under the responsibility of the supplier or user enterprises appear to be poorly known.