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5. ASN OPINION ON THE SAFETY
OF TRANSPORT OF RADIOACTIVE
SUBSTANCES AND PROSPECTS
Reinforced safety requirements relating to
on-site transport operations performed within
the perimeter of BNIs
The requirements concerning on-site transport operations
performedwithin the perimeter of BNIs were reinforced
on 1st July 2013 with the entry into force of the main
provisions of the BNI Order. The vast majority of the
nuclear sites concerned did not make sufficient efforts
to ensure that the necessary changes were made to the
existing safety baseline requirements in order to guarantee
conformity with the regulations in 2013.
Compliance with the regulatory requirements will be
closelymonitored by ASN in 2016, more particularlywith
regard to transport operations on EDF NPP sites and on
the La Hague site, for which the general operating rules
are currently being examined. In addition, the correct
working of the internal authorisations system granted
in 2013 (for CEA’ s BNIs) and 2014 (for the Melox BNI
and for the BNIs on the Tricastin, Romans-sur-Isère and
Malvési sites)will be checkedwith respect to the procedures
adopted by the licensees on the one hand andwith respect
to the resolutions issued by ASN on the other.
Taking account of notification
by carriers of radioactive substances
In 2015, ASN issued a resolution creating a notification
systemfor companies transporting radioactive substances
(see box p. 363). This notification system, which came
into force on 1st January 2016, will make it possible to
draw up an exhaustive list of the carriers of radioactive
substances, inorder to facilitate theirmonitoring bymeans
of ASN inspections. On this occasion, ASN will conduct
a survey of these companies, in order to gain a clearer
understanding of their practices and make them more
fully aware of safety and radiation protection rules.
Continuation of inspections of packages
that are not subject to ASN approval
When taken individually, the packages not subject to
approvalrepresentlittledangerandaccidentsinvolvingthem
have so far had limited radiological health consequences.
ASN must however remain vigilant given the very large
number of these packages and the sometimes inadequate
safety culture of those involved in the transport operations.
Regulatory compliance for packages not subject to approval
has on the whole improvedwith regard to industrial type
packages, but ASN considers that this situation is not
yet satisfactory for type A packages. Inspections more
particularly targeting the verification of the safety files
(definitionof content, stowage, etc.) andon the certificates
associated with type A packages will therefore be carried
out again in 2016.
Continuation of inspections in the manufacture
and maintenance of transport packages subject
to ASN approval
Thedesignof transport packages requiringASNapproval is
inspected indepthduring the examinationof the approval
request.Once it has beenascertained that thepackagedesign
complieswith the regulatory requirements, itsmanufacture
and subsequent routinemaintenance in accordancewith
the requirements of its safety filemust be verified. ASNhas
planned tomaintain a large number of inspections in this
area in 2016, particularlywith regard to themaintenance
of the oldest packagings.
Improved emergency situation preparedness
In December 2014, ASN published a guide for drafting
emergencyplans by those involved in transport operations,
more specifically the carriers and consignors. In 2016,
ASN will continue its inspections to ensure that the
recommendations of this guide are implemented
satisfactorily.
ASN will also continue to work towards achieving a
satisfactory level of preparedness by the public authorities
for emergency situations involving a transport operation, in
particular by carrying outmore exercises anddistributing
emergency management tools.
Transparency in the area of transport
Growing public and media interest in the transport
of radioactive substances was observed for several
international shipments organised in 2011. Consequently,
ASN has made it a priority to develop the information
made available to the public concerning the regulation
of the safety of transport of radioactive substances. After
devoting an issue of
Contrôle
magazine to this topic in
2012, ASN completed the educational file on its website
with an analysis of radioactive substances traffic volumes
and published an information brochure intended for
the public in 2014. On the occasion of the transport of
Swiss vitrifiedwaste, which crossed France in September
2015, ASNpublished an information notice on its website
presenting this transport operation and the checks it
carried out.
In 2016, ASNwill take part in the National Association of
local information committees and commissions (Anccli)
seminar on the topic of transport.
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CHAPTER 11:
TRANSPORT OF RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES
ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015