3.2.2 The radiation protection situation BNIs excluded, ASN carried out 21 inspections from 2018 to 2021 (of which 9 were in 2021) in this sector, out of the 25 facilities currently licensed. These inspections show that the radiation protection organisation (in particular the appointing of an RPA), the radiological zoning put in place on the inspected licensees’ premises, the informing of new employees and the renewal of verifications are satisfactory, as no significant deviations from the regulations have been observed. The risk is well controlled, in particular thanks to the satisfactory verification, upkeep and maintenance of the facilities in accordance with the provisions described in the licensing applications. Nevertheless, in one in four inspections ASN found that the verification of the safety systems needed to be improved. Furthermore, the findings related to the protection of ionising radiation sources against malicious acts carried out in the industrial sector (see page 253) are on the whole valid for this irradiation activity. ASN thus observed in 2021 that the individual authorisations for access to sources were only drawn up correctly in one in two of the inspected sites, as is the case for the policy of protection against malicious acts. 1. To which can be added six licenses to use an accelerator, either under worksite conditions, or for the shared use of a device of which possession is regulated by the other party’s license. 3.3 Particle accelerators 3.3.1 The devices used A particle accelerator is defined as a device or installation in which electrically charged particles undergo acceleration, emitting ionising radiation at an energy level in excess of 1 megaelectronvolt (MeV). When they meet the characteristics specified in Article R. 593-3 of the Environment code concerning the BNI nomenclature, these facilities are listed as BNIs. Some applications necessitate the use of beams of photons or electrons produced by particle accelerators. The installed base of particle accelerators in France, whether linear (linacs) or circular (synchrotrons), comprises in 68 licensed facilities(1) (excluding cyclotrons –see point 4.2– and BNIs), possessing slightly more than one hundred particle accelerators, which can be used in highly diverse areas such as: ∙ research, which sometimes requires the coupling of several machines (accelerator, implanter, etc.); ∙ radiography (fixed or mobile accelerator); ∙ radioscopy of lorries and containers during customs checks (fixed-site or mobile accelerators); ∙ modification of material properties; ∙ sterilisation; ∙ conservation of foodstuffs; ∙ others. OPERATING SCHEMATIC OF A GAMMA RAY PROJECTOR SELENIUM-75 GAMMA RADIOGRAPHY The use of selenium-75 in gamma radiography has been authorised in France since 2006. Implemented in the same devices as those functioning with iridium-192, selenium-75 offers significant radiation protection advantages in gamma radiography. This is because the equivalent dose rates are about 55 millisieverts (mSv) per hour and per TBq one metre from the source, as opposed to 130 millisieverts per hour per terabecquerel (mSv/h/TBq) for iridium-192. Yet it can be used in place of iridium-192 in numerous industrial fields, especially the petrochemical or boilermaking industry, and it enables the cordoned-off safety area to be significantly reduced and facilitates intervention in the event of an incident. In France, less than 20% of portable devices are equipped with a selenium-75 source. The deployment of selenium-75 has remained stationary in the last few years due to a shortage of supplies resulting from difficulties encountered by the source manufacturer. As a new supply route has been established, ASN still encourages the use of selenium-75. ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2021 249 08 – SOURCES OF IONISING RADIATION AND THEIR INDUSTRIAL, VETERINARY AND RESEARCH APPLICATIONS 08 07 13 04 10 06 12 14 03 09 05 11 02 AP 01
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