The complete transitions of research laboratories from the licensing system to the registration system will continue over the coming years, particularly for the laboratories that reduce the quantities of radionuclides handled. These facilities and laboratories use mainly unsealed sources for medical and biomedical research, molecular biology, the agrifood business, the sciences of matter and materials, etc. They can also be suppliers of unsealed sources. They also use sealed sources for performing gas‑phase chromatography, liquid scintillation counting or in irradiators. Electrical devices emitting ionising radiation are also used for X‑ray fluorescence or X‑ray diffraction spectrum analysis, while particle accelerators are used for research into matter or for the production of radionuclides. 3.4.2 Evaluation of the radiation protection situation In 2023, ASN carried out 56 inspections in this sector(2) (compared with 55 inspections per year on average over the 2019‑2023 period). 2. Among these inspections, 17 focused exclusively on the use of sealed radioactive sources or electrical devices emitting ionising radiation. Broadly speaking, the actions undertaken over the last few years have brought improvements in the implementation of radiation protection within research laboratories thanks to a growing overall awareness of the radiation exposure risks. As in 2022, the level of radiation protection in the research laboratories remains satisfactory on the whole and the trend towards improved practices is continuing. This nevertheless remains dependent on the involvement of the RPAs and the means at their disposal. The radiation risks in many research laboratories are fairly low or are tending to decrease, resulting in their nuclear activity changing from the licensing system to the registration. Furthermore, the cessation of nuclear activities in the research sector continues as techniques using ionising radiation are abandoned in favour of alternatives that do not. ASN has nevertheless identified areas for improvement on which particular attention will be focused in the next inspections, GRAPH Trends in the number of events reported to ASN in the research sector from 2014 to 2023 12 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 Number rated level 0 Number rated level 1 Number rated level 2 GRAPH Breakdown over the French territory, according to the competent ASN entity, of licensed or registered facilities using sources of ionising radiation in the research sector in 2023 11 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Dijon DTS Caen Orléans Lille Nantes Strasbourg/ Châlons Lyon Marseille Bordeaux Paris Licenses Registrations 17 41 60 25 31 46 13 127 52 50 11 21 412 16 6 19 5 17 8 7 17 6 6 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 263 • 08 • Sources of ionising radiation and their industrial, veterinary and research applications 08 05 15 11 04 14 06 07 13 AP 03 10 02 09 12 01
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