ASN Report 2017

307 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017 Chapter 10  - Sources of ionising radiation and their industrial, veterinary and research applications ASN considers that the ordering customers have a key role to play in ensuring progress in radiation protection in industrial radiography. Enhancing the awareness of all the players is therefore a priority. The regional initiatives to establish charters of good practices in industrial radiography implemented for several years now at the instigation of ASN and the labour inspectorate, particularly in areas corresponding to the former regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Haute-Normandie, Rhône-Alpes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Bretagne and Pays de la Loire, allow regular exchanges between the various participants. The ASN regional divisions and other relevant regional administrations also organise regional awareness-raising and discussion symposia which are attracting growing interest from the actors of this professional branch. Since the noteworthy incidents that occurred in the early 2010’s concerning blocked industrial gamma radiography sources, the stakeholders and IRSN have looked into defining, on the basis of experience feedback, typical loss of source control scenarios, developing the technical retrieval solutions and defining good practices in the event of a loss of control incident. Generic technical solutions to facilitate the retrieval of gamma radiography sources following loss of control (see box) have been identified. Several specific tools have been designed and implemented by the supplier for this purpose. According to the survey carried out by ASN in the sector, 70% of the industrial radiography agencies have a specialised fixed facility (bunker) and 70% of the agencies also operate in “worksite” configuration. 50%of the industrial radiography tests performed are in worksite configuration. In this configuration, devices with iridium-192 sources are the most commonly used, representing two-thirds of the worksites. X-ray generators are mainly used on the other worksites. Very few non-destructive tests are conducted outside the bunker with particle accelerators or gamma ray projectors using cobalt-60 or selenium-75. On the whole, one test in three uses iridium-192 in the worksite configuration. These worksites are primarily located in industrial units and processes and in BNIs. The significant percentage of tests in worksite configuration within industrial units suggests insufficient application of the justification principle because in many cases some parts could probably have been transported to a secure bunker for NDT. The work that ASN and the General Directorate for Labour (DGT) began in 2016 to overhaul the existing regulatory texts, with tightening of the requirements in the area of justification, will be continued in 2018 after publication of the decrees amending the Labour Code and the Public Health Code and transposing the BSS Directive (see chapter 3). Research establishments In the research sector, ASN has delivered about 680 licenses under the Public Health Code. The majority of the licensed institutions and laboratories use unsealed sources of radiation for medical and biomedical research, molecular biology, the agri- food industry and the sciences of matter andmaterials, etc. They also use sealed sources for performing gas-phase chromatography, liquid scintillation counting or in irradiators. Electric generators emitting X-rays are also used for X-ray fluorescence or X-ray diffraction spectrum analyses. Particle accelerators are used in research into matter or for the manufacture of radionuclides. Each year, ASN carries out 60 inspections on average. Generally speaking, the steps taken in the last few years have brought improvements in the way radiation protection is taken into account in research laboratories and an overall rise in awareness of radiation protection issues. The most remarkable improvements concern the Radiation Protection Expert-Officer (RPE-O) and the conditions of storage of waste and effluents. ASN does however note that nearly one structure in two does not have procedures governing the reporting and management of significant events. The technical, economic and regulatory difficulties concerning the disposal of old sealed sources are often raised by licensees. The work of the ad hoc working group created to address this issue as part of the French National Radioactive Material and Waste Management Plan for 2012-2015 led to a modification in the regulations (Decree 2015-231 of 27th February 2015 relative to the management of disused sealed radioactive sources) which came into effect on 1st July 2015. This modification, which aims to facilitate the disposal of sealed sources, gives source holders the possibility of seeking different disposal routes with source suppliers or Andra without making it obligatory to return the source to the original supplier. FUNDAMENTALS Research activities The use of ionising radiation in research activities extends to various fields such as medical research, molecular biology, the agri-food industry, materials characterisation, etc. It primarily involves the use of unsealed sources (iodine-125, phosphorous-32, phosphorous-33, sulphur-35, tritium-3, carbon-14, etc.). Sealed sources (barium-133, nickel-63, caesium-137, cobalt-60, etc.) are also used in gas chromatographs or scintillation counters or, with higher- activity sources, in irradiators. Electric generators emitting X-rays are used for X-ray fluorescence or X-ray diffraction spectrum analyses. One should also note the existence of scanners for small animals (cancer research) in research laboratories and medical schools. Particle accelerators are used in research into matter or for the manufacture of radionuclides. The number of licenses issued by ASN in the research sector remains stable at around 800. Each year, ASN carries out 50 to 60 inspections on average in this sector.

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