environment monitoring and surveillance procedures determined by ASN, increased in 2024. For example, the number of events associated with bypassing of the normal effluent discharge routes more than doubled between 2023 and 2024. ASNR will be particularly vigilant with respect to the measures taken by EDF to correct these deviations and prevent them in the future. With regard to waste management, the general improvement trend observed since 2022 continued in 2024. However, the checks carried out by ASN are still revealing cases of non-compliance with the operational baseline requirements, in particular concerning the storage durations and inventory-keeping, as well as non-conforming storage facilities. More broadly, for waste to be conditioned on many sites, ASN observes saturation of the storage spaces in the buildings specifically set aside for that purpose, making their management more complex. 2.7 Radiation protection of workers 2.7.1 Exposure of workers to ionising radiation Exposure to ionising radiation in a nuclear power reactor comes primarily from the activation of corrosion products in the primary system and fission products in the fuel. All types of radiation are present (neutrons, , and ), with a risk of internal and external exposure. Most of the doses received come from external exposure to and radiation and are primarily linked to maintenance operations during reactor outages. In 2024, the average collective dosimetry per reactor (see Graph 5 page 315), and the average dose received by the workers for one hour of work in a controlled area (see Graph 6 page 315) are comparable to the values recorded for 2023. Graph 7 (see previous page) shows the breakdown of the workers according to whole body external dosimetry. In 2024, the share of workers exposed to a dose of less than one millisievert (mSv), remains comparable to the previous years (about 76%). The annual regulation limit for whole body external dosimetry (20 mSv) was exceeded on no occasion in 2024. Graph 8 (see next page) shows the trend in whole body average individual dosimetry according to the categories of disciplines of the workers in the NPPs. As in previous years, those workers most exposed are the personnel in charge of heat insulation. The average individual dosimetry increased for this professional category in 2024 (+15% by comparison with 2023). The other professional categories most exposed remain unchanged: welders, personnel in charge of non-destructive inspections, mechanical and ancillary activities. For these latter discipline categories, the average individual dose fell in 2024 by comparison with 2023. Significant contamination events In 2024, EDF reported seven significant contamination events involving workers in the NPPs, as opposed to two in 2023. Five of these events (rated level 1 on the INES scale) entailed an exposure of the workers concerned of more than one quarter the annual regulation limit for the skin and two of them (rated level 2 on the INES scale) entailed exposure greater than the annual regulation limit for the skin (see box previous page). Although the workers concerned by these events were treated, with removal of the radioactive particles responsible for their contamination, ASN considers that the rise in the number of events reported, which occurred in a variety of working situations, should lead EDF to take a closer look at how the contamination risk is addressed when preparing worksites. 2.7.2 Assessment of worker radiation protection ASN monitors compliance with the regulations relative to the protection of workers liable to be exposed to ionising radiation in NPPs. In this respect, ASN is attentive to all the workers on the sites, both EDF personnel and those of contractors. This monitoring is performed on each NPP during inspections, either on the specific topic of radiation protection, or on activities performed during reactor outages, or as a result of specific events. This monitoring is also carried out during examination of the worker radiation protection files (significant event reports, design, maintenance or modification files, documents implementing the regulations produced by EDF, etc.). During the course of the inspections carried out in 2024, in particular during the tightened inspections on the topic of radiation protection in the NPPs of Saint-Alban, Nogent-sur Seine, Chooz and Cattenom, the inspectors observed a pro-active approach by EDF to controlling the sources of worker exposure to ionising radiation through the hot spot monitoring and elimination programmes. In 2024, ASN once again found deviations in several NPPs concerning the prevention of the risks of exposure to ionising radiation for the most vulnerable workers (work-study students with a fixed term contract). In 2025, ASNR will continue its oversight actions on this subject. With regard to industrial radiography operations, ASN observes that the number of significant events reported in this field fell considerably by comparison with 2023. However, given the potential worker exposure consequences of some of these events, EDF must progress further in its coordination of risk prevention. Finally, ASN once again found points in the field regarding which improvements are required in the control of the risk of contamination dispersal within the installations. ASN sometimes observes worksites that entail a risk of contamination dispersal, for which the containment provisions are not as required or for which there are insufficient checks on the radio- logical cleanness of the routes that could be taken by the contaminated equipment. These findings have been observed by the inspectors for several years now and should lead EDF to take a close look at the steps taken on this subject, so that they now result in effective improvements in the field for all the NPPs. On the occasion of the inspections scheduled for 2025, ASNR will be particularly vigilant on this point. 2.8 Labour Law in the Nuclear Power Plants 2.8.1 Labour inspection in the Nuclear Power Plants ASN is responsible for labour inspectorate duties in the installations of the 57 electricity generating reactors, including the EPR reactor commissioned in 2024, and 11 other installations, most of which are reactors undergoing decommissioning. 800 to 2,000 people work in each NPP, depending on the number of reactors. About 23,000 EDF employees and 11,000 employees from outside contractors are thus assigned to these nuclear sites. The role of the labour inspectorate is to ensure that the Labour Code as a whole is applied by the employers, whether EDF or its contractors. The labour inspectorate, which takes part in the integrated vision of oversight sought by ASN, carries out its monitoring work in conjunction with the other activities to monitor and oversee the safety of facilities and radiation protection. 2.8.2 Assessment of health and safety, professional relations and quality of employment in the Nuclear Power Plants In 2024, the ASN labour inspectors notably performed three inspection campaigns on mobile and lifting equipment, circulation on the sites and the ventilation of premises with specific pollution. ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2024 317 01 The EDF Nuclear Power Plants 10 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 11 12 13 14 15 AP
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