ASN Report 2018

ASN notes that the companies comply with the regulatory obligations with respect to the radiation protection advisor (only 6% of the licensees did not have one during the inspections performed in 2018) and the frequency of the verifications by a radiation protection organisation or IRSN (less than 10% of deviations noted). The inspectors also noted that worker dosimetric monitoring was satisfactory. Conversely, ASN still considers the deficiencies in cordoning off the work zones on worksites to be cause for concern. Cordoning off was noncompliant in more than one inspection in four carried out under worksite conditions in 2018. ASN points out that the work area must be cordoned off before the work begins and, in all events, before the radiography equipment is installed. To ascertain that cordoning off ensures compliance with the regulatory dose rate values, it is vital to take at least one measurement and to record the result. Cordoning off must be continuous and signal lights must be provided in sufficient quantity. Zoning is effectively the main safety barrier in worksite configurations, particularly to prevent incidental exposures. ASN has also noted that the shortcomings observed in occupational radiation protection training might be one of the probable causes of the observed deviations. The radiation protection training must be provided before the workers are likely to be exposed, and must be refreshed regularly (and at least every three years) taking into account all the particularities of the company (radiation protection organisation, protection against malicious acts, safety procedures and instructions, collective and personal protective equipment, etc.). One inspection out of three in 2018 found deficiencies in the organisation of training for new employees. With regard to application of the principles of justification and optimisation, the long-term reflections undertaken by the non- destructive inspection professionals have resulted in guidelines which aim to promote the use of alternative methods to industrial radiography. The work is continuing within the professional bodies, in particular with the updating of the construction and Trend in the number of industrial radiography events reported to ASN 0 5 10 15 20 25 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 In BNIs Outside BNIs Note: the 24 events of 2018 led to 25 notifications to ASN. One event was reported twice, by both the ordering customer and the industrial radiography contractor. Graph 8 Main causes of industrial radiography events reported to ASN over the 2016-2018 period 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Loss of source control Cordoning off Damage to the projector Abnormal exposure of workers Miscellaneous Graph 9 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2018  245 08 – SOURCES OF IONISING RADIATION AND THEIR INDUSTRIAL, VETERINARY AND RESEARCH APPLICATIONS 08