58 combined facilities and 6 facilities using particle accelerators). This network thus enables 83% of the professionals to propose industrial radio- graphy services within facilities (55% for gamma radiography). Despite the availability of such facilities, ASN still observes too often that parts that undergo radiography on worksites could have been easily moved to a facility. Apart from optimising doses for the workers, it would also eliminate the risk of having to temporarily shut down the worksite (which could last several days) due to the setting up of an exclusion area, in the event of an incident preventing the radioactive source of a gamma ray projector from returning to the safe position. ASN considers that the ordering customers have a key role to play to improve radiation protection in industrial radio- graphy, by favouring industrial radiography services in a facility, or even turning to alternative technologies. Indeed, with regard to application of the principles of justification and optimisation, the longterm reflections undertaken by the non- destructive testing professionals have resulted in guidelines which aim to promote the use of alternative methods to industrial radiography. The work is continuing within the professional bodies, in particular with the updating of the construction and maintenance codes for industrial equipment, in order to promote the use of non-ionising inspection methods. Enhancing the awareness of all the players is therefore a priority. The regional initiatives to establish charters of good practices in industrial radiography implemented for several years now at the instigation of ASN and the labour inspectorate, particularly in areas corresponding to the (former) regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Normandie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, NordPas-de-Calais, Bretagne and Pays de la Loire, allow regular exchanges between GRAPH 8 Trend in the number of industrial radiography events reported to ASN 0 5 10 15 20 25 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 In BNIs Outside BNIs 16 10 2 5 11 8 15 16 10 10 8 23 15 11 13 17 17 9 9 19 Detection of lead in paint: a low-risk nuclear activity but requiring greater vigilance on account of malicious acts Portable X-ray fluorescence devices used for analysing the components of a sample can be based on two different technologies: sealed-source devices and electrical devices. Electrical devices are used primarily in the recovery and recycling of metallic materials, whereas the devices for detecting lead in paint which are used in the mandatory technical diagnostics for real-estate sales, rely on the technology of sealed source devices, the only technology recognised to date by the health authorities as guaranteeing a reliable response regarding the presence of lead. Two radionuclides are used: cobalt-57 and cadmium-109. The sources come under category D for which the IAEA considers that it is “unlikely to be dangerous to the person” and “it is very unlikely that the source would cause permanent injury. However, if this quantity of unshielded radioactive material is not safety managed or securely protected, it may case temporary injuries to a person who handled it or who was otherwise in contact with it for several hours or close to it for several weeks.” About 4,500 companies in France are involved in the detection of lead in paint. Some sites possess several devices, which therefore leads to the routine circulation of several thousand devices. Consequently, even if the radiation protection risks remain low (the nuclear activities in question come under the notification system, see point 2.4.2), the large number of devices in transit every day means that certain precautions must be taken. The consequences of a malicious act using this type of source could raise challenges, as much for the contractor as for the authorities, particularly as regards the media impact and the concerns it would raise for the public. Furthermore, the detailed examination of the Significant Radiation Protection Events (ESRs) reported to ASN reveals the theft or unaccountability of about fifteen devices for detecting lead in paint each year. About two-thirds of these situations arise when the device has been left in an unattended vehicle on the public highway, sometimes for a whole weekend. Lead detector devices in paint reported as stolen or lost to ASN 2021 2022 2023 2024 19 18 14 11 Consequently, in response to these early warning signs, ASN decided to send a letter reiterating the regulations and good practices to the two professional unions of real-estate diagnosticians, asking them to pass on the basic safety rules to their members. Lastly, the analysis of the abovementioned events also identified one user with several agencies which had experienced recurrent thefts over the last few years. That user was sent an explicit request to revise its internal procedures: the tracking of device transfers (in and out of agency storage), the conditions of transport in vehicles (enhanced protection of the devices, return to the agency outside opening hours), and personnel training and awareness of the risks were thus improved in particular. 266 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2024 Sources of ionising radiation and their industrial, veterinary and research applications
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