ASN Report 2020

3.3.4 Statistical summary of events In 2020, 1,933 significant events were reported to ASN: ∙ 1,227 significant events concerning nuclear safety, radiation protection, the environment and the on-site transport of hazardous materials in the BNIs, of which 1,142 were rated on the INES scale (1,035 “level 0” events, 105 “level 1” events and 2 “level 2” events). Of these events, 26 significant events were classified as “generic events” – they concern several reactors, 6 of which were rated “level 1” on the INES scale and 1 “level 2” on the INES scale; ∙ 75 significant events concerning the transport of radioactive substances on the public highway, including 4 “level 1” events on the INES scale; ∙ 631 significant events concerning radiation protection in small- scale nuclear activities, including 160 rated on the INES scale (25 “level 1” events). In 2020, two events were rated “level 2” on the INES scale, both in the field of BNIs: ∙ the first concerns the internal contamination of a worker in a fuel pellets fabrication workshop in the Melox plant operated by Orano Cycle on the Marcoule site; ∙ the second concerns seismic resistance faults on the diesel emergency generator sets of 10 of EDF’s nuclear reactors. As indicated earlier, these data must be used with caution: they do not in themselves constitute a safety indicator. ASN encourages the licensees to report incidents, which contributes to transparency and the sharing of experience. The breakdown of significant events rated on the INES scale is given in Table 7. As the INES scale does not apply to significant events concerning patients, the rating of significant events affecting one or more patients in radiotherapy on the ASN-SFRO scale (2) is specified in chapter 7. 2. This scale is designed for communication with the public in comprehensible, explicit terms, concerning radiation protection events leading to unexpected or unforeseeable effects affecting patients undergoing a radiotherapy medical procedure. Likewise, significant events concerning the environment but involving non-radiological substances are not covered by the INES scale. Such events are classified as “out of INES scale” events. Graphs 5 to 10 describe in detail the significant events reported to ASN in 2020, differentiating between them according to the various notification criteria for each field of activity. 3.4  Raising the awareness of professionnals and cooperating with the other administrations Regulation is supplemented by awareness-raising programmes designed to ensure familiarity with the regulations and their application in practical terms appropriate to the various professions. ASN aims to encourage and support initiatives by the professional organisations that implement this approach by issuing best practices and professional information guides. ASN publishes “avoiding accidents” sheets with the aim of sharing its OEF analyses. Awareness-raising also involves joint actions with other adminis­ trations and organisations which oversee the same facilities, but with different prerogatives. One could here mention the labour inspectorate, the medical devices inspectorate work by the ANSM, the medical activities inspectorate work entrusted to the technical services of the Ministry of Health, or the oversight of small-scale nuclear activities at the Ministry of Defence entrusted to the Armed Forces General Inspectorate. TABLE 7 Number of significant events rated on the INES scale between 2015 and 2020 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Basic Nuclear Installations Level 0 848 847 949 989 1,057 1,035 Level 1 89 101 87 103 112 105 Level 2 1 0 4 0 3 2 Level 3 and + 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 938 948 1,040 1,092 1,172 1,142 Small-scale nuclear activities (medical and industry) Level 0 126 111 144 143 142 135 Level 1 25 30 36 22 35 25 Level 2 2 0 3 0 2 0 Level 3 and + 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 153 141 183 165 179 160 Transport of radioactive substances Level 0 56 59 64 88 85 71 Level 1 9 5 2 3 4 4 Level 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 Level 3 and + 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 66 64 66 91 89 75 Grand Total 1,157 1,153 1,289 1,348 1,439 1,377 160 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2020 03 – REGULATION OF NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES AND EXPOSURE TO IONISING RADIATION