ASN Report 2017

234 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 HAUTS-DE-FRANCE Veterinary ASN carried out 3 inspections in the veterinary sector in 2017, 2 concerning more specifically the use of an X-ray generator in an equine field diagnostic situation and the third in a veterinary clinic practising nuclear medicine, radiotherapy and brachytherapy. These inspections revealed relatively good integration of occupational radiation protection in the work practises, including in field situations. ASN highlighted areas for improvement in terms of job and work environment studies and zoning, in medical monitoring and training of exposed workers, and in the organisation for reporting adverse events to ASN. Devices for detecting lead in paint A campaign of 10 inspections in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais départements targeted holders of devices for detecting lead in paint who did not have license and who, in the majority of cases, had failed to return their radioactive sources. Further to this campaign, ASN drew up 6 violation reports for unlicensed holding of radioactive sources. This measure prompted the majority of the operators to put their administrative situation in order, either by submitting a license application file or by having the radioactive source supplier take back the sources. In the other three départements , ASN renewed its remote oversight action in 2017 which concerned 33 holders of devices for detecting lead in paint and aimed to check the designation of a Radiation Protection Expert-Officer and performance of the radiation protection technical controls. In the majority of cases the device holders’ situation was satisfactory. 1.4 Nuclear safety and radiation protection in the transport of radioactive substances ASN conducted 6 inspections concerning the transport of radioactive substances in 2017, in small-scale nuclear activities and in the Gravelines NPP. These inspections revealed no major deviations from the regulations. In the small-scale nuclear activities sector, the inspections focused in particular on the dispatching of a cyclotron to check compliance with the main provisions applicable to the carriers. As part of the international exchanges with the Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Regulation (AFCN) and its technical support agency (BEL V), an inspector from BEL V accompanied ASN during an inspection at the Gravelines NPP on the theme of compliance with the regulations applicable to the transport of radioactive substances. 2. Additional information 2.1 Informing the public Press conference ASN’s annual press conference on the situation of nuclear safety and radiation protection in the Hauts-de-France region was held on 13th September 2017 in Lille. Work with the Local Information Committees (CLIs) ASN regularly presented files in progress concerning the Somanu facility in Maubeuge and the Gravelines NPP to their CLIs. Public meetings were held on 14th December 2017, organised by the Somanu CLI, on the theme “Nuclear issues: how should our environment be monitored and what is the impact on our health”, and on 15th December, organised by the Gravelines CLI, on the ageing of nuclear installations. Professional gathering ASN contributed to the “Radiation protection in the medical environment” gathering held on 14th November 2017 in Lille, and which was organised by the association Environment and Alternative Development in partnershipwith theHauts-de-France Health Quality Network. This third edition, following those of 2013 and 2015, brought together 150 people including hospital personnel –many of them radiographers, veterinary surgeons and students. The talks and discussions addressed subjects such as the protection to be provided for personnel andpatients throughout the care pathway in both the centres and the home, the importance of information in teamwork and of having constant communication between practitioners and patients, and lastly on research into the radiosensitivity of irradiated tissues with the aimof predicting any long-term effects of the ionising radiation on healthy tissues. 2.2 International action Within the framework of international exchanges, 6 joint inspections were carried out with the AFCN and the BEL V, and one with the ANVS ( Autoriteit Nucleaire Veiligheid en Stralingsbescherming) , the Dutch nuclear safety authority. Six inspections were carried out in the Gravelines NPP on the themes of the environment, radiation protection, management of installations (including the start of an unannounced inspection outside opening hours), containment, maintenance and transport. Two ASN inspectors travelled to Borselle in the Netherlands for a cross-inspection on theme of refuelling andmaintenance outages. 2.3 The other notable events The Lille division took part in the national emergency exercise of May 23rd 2017 simulating a radioactive substance transport accident on a railway line near the A1 motorway in the Pas-de- Calais département . The aim of this exercise was to verify the response of a non-nuclearised département in the event of such an emergency and to test the prefecture’s response to media pressure and its interfaces with the national level of radiological emergency situation management.