IRRS follow-up mission to France - October 2017

51 Suggestion 26: The regulatory framework on radon in workplaces is currently being updated, taking into account the new requirements of the European “BSS” Directive. For the practical implementation of this new regulation, the 3rd national radon action plan (2016-2019) issued in January 2017, already underlines the need for a global communication strategy directed towards different stakeholders, including employers. This will be completed before 2020. As a result of the mission concluded by ASN in May 2017 about the review of the oversight of small-scale nuclear activities, concerning the control of radon in workplaces in installations other than the BNIs, it appeared that there is a need for targeting such controls in a more efficient way. A new strategy was developed and approved by the ASN Commission but has still to be discussed with the MoH and MoL. The main elements of the strategy for places where the public is present are the provision of information to the local stakeholders, the collection of the available radon data in order to identify the locations where there are gaps, a reminder to the stakeholders to take actions if needed and finally, to plan inspections targeted on places with such gaps. For locations where both the public and workers are present, a collaboration will be initiated between ASN, the regional agencies for health (ARS) (who are already in charge of the actions needed to protect the public from radon exposure), and the regional Labour services (DIREECTE), in order to deal with the protection of the public and workers. For the locations where workers might be occupationally exposed, the ASN inspectors will integrate the radon issue in their inspections. At the end of 2017, an internal document will describe more precisely the roles of the ASN regarding the radon issue. The operational phase of this program will start in 2018-2019. In the meantime, a new mapping of radon prone areas in France has been performed by IRSN using the criteria of the uranium concentration in the soil. The newly completed inspection program will include inspection of practices located in radon prone areas that are already visited by ASN inspectors due to their use of sources of ionizing radiation. Status of the finding in the initial mission Suggestion 24 (S24) is closed as the requirements regarding the radiation protection program during the authorization process for the installations concerned by the higher risks are now set out in legislation. Suggestion 25 (S25) is closed on basis of progress made and confidence in the effective completion as a process is underway which will lead to the development of guidance material on the optimization principle in medical practices. Recommendation15 (R15) is closedonbasis of progress made and confidence in the effective completion of the remaining actions to be undertaken by ASN in close co-operation with IRSN to allow ASN inspectors timely access to worker dose information. Suggestion 26 (S26) is closed on basis of progress made and confidence in the effective completion as ASN has developed, in the framework of the third national action plan on radon, a strategy (graded approach) aimed at improving compliance with the regulatory requirements in radon prone areas. 11.3. CONTROL OF DISCHARGES, MATERIALS FOR CLEARANCE, AND CHRONIC EXPOSURES; ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING FOR PUBLIC RADIATION PROTECTION There were no findings in this area in the initial IRRS mission.