With regard to veterinary facilities, the administrative situation has been continuously improving for a number of years now. At the end of 2022, ASN counted 5,900 notifications, registrations or licenses, that is to say virtually all of the veterinary facilities identified as using ionising radiation in France. Among the veterinary activities, those performed on large animals (mainly horses) outside specialised veterinary practices (under “field” conditions), are considered to be those with the most significant radiation exposure risks, more specifically for persons external to the veterinary practice taking part in these procedures (horse owners and stable lads). During its various oversight actions (carried out as and when required or during thematic campaigns) covering all veterinary activities involving ionising radiation, ASN has seen the results of the efforts the veterinary bodies have made in the last few years to comply with the regulations and has noted good field practices in the inspected veterinary facilities, including in particular: ∙ the presence of in-house Radiation Protection Expert-Officers (RPE-Os) in the most of the facilities; ∙ worker occupational exposure monitoring by passive dosimetry; ∙ the virtually systematic use of personal protective equipment; ∙ an optimisation approach to the associated operations in nearly all the facilities using ionising radiation for performing diagnostic radiology on large animals. The profession must nevertheless remain attentive to the following points: ∙ the initial and periodic verifications of the radiation devices and the radiology premises; ∙ the radiological zoning, particularly when an operation area has to be set up; ∙ the radiation protection of people external to the veterinary facilities who may participate in the diagnostic procedures. There are also some (rare) cases of veterinary facilities in which the radiation protection organisation is highly unsatisfactory. These shortcomings can oblige ASN to take more stringent or even enforcement measures, if a “soft” approach has no effect. The strong nationwide commitment of the profession to harmonising practices, raising awareness, training student veterinary surgeons and drafting framework documents and guides is considered very positive by ASN, which has regular contacts with the profession’s national bodies (more particularly the veterinary radiation protection commission). 1.3.3 The other uses of electrical devices emitting ionising radiation This category covers all the electrical devices emitting ionising radiation other than those mentioned above and which are not concerned by the licensing, registration or notification exemption criteria set out in Article R. 1333-106 of the Public Health Code. This category includes, for example, devices generating ionising radiation but not used for this property, namely ion implanters, electron-beam welding equipment, klystrons, certain lasers, certain electrical devices such as high-voltage fuse tests. Lastly, some applications use particle accelerators (see point 3.3.1). 2. Regulation of industrial, research and veterinary activities 2.1 The authorities regulating the sources of ionising radiation ASN is the authority that grants the licenses, issues the registration decisions and receives the notifications, depending on regulatory regime applicable to the nuclear activity concerned. However, to simplify administrative procedures for licensees already licensed under another system, the Public Health Code makes specific provisions. This concerns more specifically: ∙ The radioactive sources held, manufactured and/or used in installations licensed under the Mining Code (Article L. 162-1) or, for unsealed radioactive sources, those held, manufactured and/or used in Installations Classified for Protection of the Environment (ICPEs) which come under Articles L. 511-1 to L. 517-2 of the Environment Code, and have a licensing system. The Prefect is responsible for including, in the licenses he delivers, radiation protection requirements for the nuclear activities carried out on the site. ∙ The installations and activities relating to national defence, for which Defence Nuclear Safety Authority (ASND) is responsible for regulating the radiation protection aspects. ∙ The installations authorised under the BNI legal system. ASN regulates the radioactive sources and electrical devices emitting ionising radiation necessary for the operation of these installations under this system. Holding and using other sources within the bounds of the BNI remain subject to licensing pursuant to Article R. 1333-118 of the Public Health Code. These provisions do not exempt the licensee from complying with the requirements of the Public Health Code, and in particular those relative to source acquisition and transfer; they do not apply to the distribution, importing and exporting of radioactive sources, which remain subject to ASN licensing under the Public Health Code. GRAPH Use of electrical devices generating ionising radiation for veterinary activities 4 Number of veterinary authorisations Number of veterinary notifications 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2021 Registrations 2022 Registrations 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 5,000 5,500 6,000 15 122 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2022 243 08 • 08 • Sources of ionising radiation and their industrial, veterinary and research applications 01 07 13 AP 04 10 06 12 14 03 09 05 11 02
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