Abstracts ASN Report 2019

׬٫ ڲ Assessment of the radiation protection situation in applications involving radiation risks in the industrial, research and veterinary sectors ב ِ׏ XȇƳɖɀɎȸǣƏǼ ȸƏƳǣȒǕȸƏȵǝɵ ב ِ׏ِ׏ Áǝƺ ƳƺɮǣƬƺɀ ɖɀƺƳ • JƏȅȅƏ ȸƏƳǣȒǕȸƏȵǝɵ Gamma radiography is a non-destructive inspection method used for detecting homogeneity defects in materials such as weld beads. It involves obtaining a radiographic image on silver-based or digital media using the gamma rays emitted by a radioactive source and passing through the object to inspect. It is widely used in fabrication and maintenance operations in diverse industrial sectors such as boilermaking, petrochemicals, nuclear power plants, public works, aeronautics and armament. Gamma radiography devices contain high-activity sealed sources, ŀĴļŁĿŌ ļŅļķļňŀіӄӌӅё ĶłĵĴĿŇіӉӃׇłŅ ņĸĿĸŁļňŀіӊӈё ŊĻłņĸ ĴĶŇļʼnļŇŌ can reach about twenty terabecquerels. A gamma radiography device is usually a mobile device which can be moved from one worksite to another. It consists primarily of: Ҋ a source projector which acts as a storage container and ensures radiological protection when the source is not in use; Ҋ a guide tube which guides the movement of the source up to the object to be examined; Ҋ and a remote control cable allowing remote manipulation by the operator. When the source is ejected out of the device, the dose rates can reach several grays per hour at one metre from the device, depending on the radionuclide and its activity level. As a result of the activity of the sources and the movement of the sources outside the storage container when the device is being used, gamma radiography can entail significant risks for the operators in the event of incorrect use, failure to comply with ŅĴķļĴŇļłŁ ŃŅłŇĸĶŇļłŁ ŅňĿĸņё łŅ łŃĸŅĴŇļŁĺ ļŁĶļķĸŁŇņє ňŅŇĻĸŅŀłŅĸё these gamma radiography activities are often carried out on work sites under difficult conditions (working at night, or in places that are exposed to the elements, or in cramped spaces). This is therefore an activity with serious radiation protection implications that figures among ASN’s inspection priorities. • XȇƳɖɀɎȸǣƏǼ æ ٮ ȸƏɵ ȸƏƳǣȒǕȸƏȵǝɵ Industrial X-ray radiography is used for checking the quality of weld beads or for the fatigue inspection of materials. It is carried out using fixed devices or worksite devices employing directional or panoramic beams which substitute for gamma radiography devices if the conditions of use so permit. These devices can also be used for more specific and therefore rarer purposes, such as radiography for the restoration of musical instruments or paintings, archaeological study of mummies or the analysis of fossils. ב ِ׏ِ א ɀɀƺɀɀȅƺȇɎ Ȓǔ ȸƏƳǣƏɎǣȒȇ ȵȸȒɎƺƬɎǣȒȇ ǣȇ ǣȇƳɖɀɎȸǣƏǼ ȸƏƳǣȒǕȸƏȵǝɵ ƏƬɎǣɮǣɎǣƺɀ Industrial radiology activities are high-risk activities which have been an inspection priority for ASN for several years now. Ł ӅӃӄӌё ĶłŁķňĶŇĸķ ӄӈӃׇļŁņŃĸĶŇļłŁņ ļŁ ŇĻļņ ĴŅĸĴё ŊĻļĶĻ ļņ an increase of about 30% with respect to the previous year. The additional inspection actions were assigned to the inspection of the activities presenting the greatest risks. They included the inspection of gamma ray projector storage facilities with, for example, a verification that the first provisions against malicious acts are properly taken into account (see box “Review of the first inspections relating to the protection of ionising radiation sources against malicious acts”), or the verification of field practices. The latter are carried out unannounced on the worksites which generally take place at night (11% increase in the number of inspections in worksite configuration, that is to ņĴŌ ӉӄׇļŁņŃĸĶŇļłŁņ ļŁ ӅӃӄӌҏє The on-line notification of worksite schedules for industrial radiography companies, put in place by ASN in 2014, facilitates the planning of these inspections. ASN notes that virtually all the licensees concerned generally use this system for the worksite notifications. This being said, the reliability of the information provided is still variable.The points to improve include: Ҋ the updating of schedules when changes are made; ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2019 243 ׎ ٲ ז SOURCES OF IONISING RADIATION AND THEIR INDUSTRIAL, VETERINARY AND RESEARCH APPLICATIONS 08 Operating schematic of a gamma ray projector