Publications

In this section you will find the various ASN publications.

ASN's annual reports

Every year, this report presents the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France. It also presents all ASN actions performed during the past year to supervise and improve the safety of French civil nuclear facilities and of the transport of radioactive materials, and to check and minimise exposure of workers, patients, the public and the environment to ionising radiation.
 
Since 2004, via the "ASN multiyear strategic plan", it also presents ASN's orientations and goals for the coming 3-year period.
 
This report, which is the fruit of collective analysis and synthesis work, in which all ASN entities take part, provides an annual record of the changes and difficulties encountered, in both the technical and organisational spheres, within the companies and organisations subject to supervision. It also widens the scope of the debate to include nuclear safety and radiation protection projects and prospects.
 
The report and its summary are sent to many of ASN's partners abroad, notably the nuclear safety authorities of various countries. Since 1996, the report has been translated into English to further exchanges between nuclear safety authorities and inform all foreign stakeholders in the nuclear safety and radiation protection sector.

Published on 07/07/2022

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2021

In 2021, the safety of nuclear facilities and radiation protection in the medical, industrial and radioactive substances transport sectors remained at a satisfactory level, in line with the level observed in 2021.
What are most striking about 2021, in particular its second part, are the industrial vulnerabilities affecting all nuclear facilities and the debate concerning energy policy choices and the position of nuclear power in these choices.

Published on 25/08/2021

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2020

The year 2020 was profoundly marked by the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. ASN considers that the level of nuclear safety and radiation protection achieved remained satisfactory and that those responsible for nuclear activities were able to adapt and cope with the situation.
In early 2021, the health crisis is still not over and prudence is required with regard to the lessons to be learned, in an uncertain and changing context.
ASN considers that this situation raises systemic questions which could apply, in the same terms, in the event of a nuclear crisis. This notably concerns trust in scientific expertise and in the authorities by the population and the conditions determining the acceptability of the restrictive population protection measures.
More generally, ASN considers that the first analyses of the problems encountered during this health crisis confirm the absolute need, which it has regularly underlined, to strengthen the culture of anticipation and precaution among all those concerned by nuclear matters.

Published on 14/07/2020

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2019

In a context where the level of safety in nuclear facilities has remained on the whole satisfactory, 2019 was marked by increased awareness on the part of the nuclear licensees of the challenges that face them as a group. The need to reinforce the quality of the work done and professional rigorousness in terms of safety has been broadly taken on board, which is essential if progress is to be made. The increase in inspections cannot be considered an appropriate response. As those with prime responsibility for safety, it is therefore up to the licensees to address these challenges.
In the medical field, the radiation protection of patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures involving ionising radiation has been maintained at a high level.
The number of significant radiation protection events reported by the health professionals remained very low in 2019 when compared with the number of procedures carried out on the patients every year and the complexity of some of these procedures. However, particular attention must be maintained, owing to the extremely sophisticated technical nature of some medical procedures and the chain of professionals involved.
See all the ASN's annual reports

Regulatory Updates Newsletter

Regulatory Updates is the monthly newsletter of the French Nuclear Safety Authority. It keeps you informed on ASN national and international activities as well as on the current events of the nuclear installations under its control.
It is regularly distributed to ASN counterparts at international meetings.
You can find the latest copy of Regulatory Updates and its publication history in this section.

See all the regulatory updates newsletter

Les cahiers de l’ASN brochure

The first issue of Les cahiers de l’ASN brochure was published in September 2018. This new collection is part of a pedagogical information approach on topics related to nuclear safety and radiation protection.
This brochure is also distributed in forums, trade shows, public meetings and among stakeholders.

Published on 22/04/2021

Les cahiers de l'ASN #03 - 10 years after Fukushima

Rated level 7, the highest on the international nuclear events scale (INES), the accident which struck the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant had considerable human and environmental consequences.
See all the Les cahiers de l’ASN brochure

Contrôle review

See all the Contrôle review

Other ASN reports

Published on 19/09/2013

French National Plan for the Management of Radioactive Materials and Waste for 2013-2015

The National Radioactive Materials and Waste Management Plan (PNGMDR) is a key tool in ensuring the long-term implementation of the principles laid down in the Programme Act of 28th June 2006 concerning the sustainable management of radioactive materials and waste. It aims primarily to produce a regular picture of radioactive substances management policy, to evaluate new requirements and to determine the objectives to be met in the future, particularly with regard to studies and research. Its validity was confirmed at a European level, by the adoption on 19th July 2011 of the directive establishing a community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste.
See all the other ASN reports

Publications for the professionals

ASN Guides

  • ASN Guide No. 21 - Processing conformity deviations with respect to specified requirements for elements important for protection (EIP) (january 2015)
  • ASN Guide No. 13 - Protection of Basic Nuclear Installations against external flooding (january 2013)
  • ASN Guide No. 16 - Significant radiation protection events affecting patients in radiotherapy (criterion 2.1): notification and ASN-SFRO scale rating (octobre 2010)
  • ASN Guide No. 5 - Management guidelines for safety and quality in radiotherapy (april 2009)
  • ASN Guide No. 4 - Guide to risk self-assessment in external beam radiotherapy (january 2009)

Transport of radioactive materials

  • ASN Guide No. 17 - Contents of management plans for incidents and accidents involving the transport of radioactive substances (december 2014)
  • ASN Guide No. 29 - Radiation Protection in Radioactive Substance Transport Activities (march 2018)
  • ASN Guide No. 31 - Procedures for notification of events concerning the transport of radioactive materials on the terrestrial public highway, by sea or by air (april 2017)
  • ASN Guide No. 7 - Applicant's guide related to applications for shipment approval and certificate of package design or radioactive materials for civil usage transported by public roads, by water or by rail (july 2009)

Decommissioning and remediation

  • ASN Guide No. 6 - Final shutdown, decommissioning and delicensing of basic nuclear installations in France (August 2016)
  • ASN Guide No. 14 - Complete post-operational clean out methodologies acceptable in basic nuclear installations in France (August 2016)
  • ASN Guide No. 24 - Management of soils contaminated by the activities of a basic nuclear installations in France (August 2016)

INES Scale

Newsletter for medical professionnals

Patient safety - Paving the way for progress

Experience feedback- Focus on an event notified to ASN

Imaging professionals

Experience feedback from a significant radiation exposure event

ASN/SFPM Recommendations for Medical Physics Personnel

  • ASN Guide No. 17- Contents of management plans for incidents and accidents involving the transport of radioactive substances (december 2014)
  • ASN Guide No. 13- Protection of Basic Nuclear Installations against external flooding (january 2013)
  • ASN Guide No. 16- Protection of Basic Nuclear Installations against external flooding (january 2013)

Newsletter for nuclear medecine professionnals

  • ASN recommendationsconcerning the handling of radiopharmaceuticals and the administration of MRP to patients (july 2016)

Radon