79 / 536
Quality management system
To guarantee and improve the quality and effectiveness
of its actions, ASN defines and implements a quality
management system inspired by the ISO and IAEA
international standards. This system is based on:
•
an organisationmanual containing organisation notes
and procedures, defining the rules to be applied for
each task;
•
internal and external audits to check rigorous
application of the system’s requirements;
•
listening to the stakeholders;
•
performance indicators for monitoring the effectiveness
of action taken;
•
a periodic review of the system, to foster continuous
improvement.
Internal communication
In the same way as human resources management, ASN’s
internal communication aims to foster the sharing of
information and experience between teams and activities,
by reinforcing the internal culture and reasserting the
specific nature of ASN’s remit, rallying the staff around
the strategic orientations defined for their missions,
and developing strong group dynamics.
2.4 The consultative and discussion
bodies
2.4.1 The High Committee for Transparency
and Information on Nuclear Security
The TSNAct created aHighCommittee for Transparency
and Information on Nuclear Security (HCTISN), an
information, discussion and debating body dealing with
the risks inherent in nuclear activities and the impact of
these activities on human health, the environment and
nuclear safety.
TheHighCommittee can issue anopinionon any question
in these fields, as well as on controls and the relevant
information. It can also deal with any issue concerning
the accessibility of nuclear safety information andpropose
any measures such as to guarantee or improve nuclear
transparency. It can be called on by the Government,
Parliament, the local informationcommittees or the licensees
of nuclear facilities, with regard to all questions relating
to information about nuclear safety and its regulation and
monitoring.
TheHCTISN’s activities in 2015 are described in chapter 6.
The French system for the oversight of nuclear
safety and radiation protection was assessed
by a team of 29 international experts under
the supervision of IAEA.
In March 2015, ASN received the report from the IAEA peer
review mission hosted from 17th to 28th November 2014.
This Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission concerned
all the activities regulated by ASN. It examined the strengths and
weaknesses of the French nuclear safety and radiation protection
oversight system with respect to IAEA standards.
The best practices identified by the IRRS team include:
• the involvement of the stakeholders in the regulatory processes
and in the transparency of the decisions taken, as well as
wide-ranging communication to promote participation in the
regulatory activities and decisions;
• the independence of the ASN Commissioners and personnel in
the performance of their regulatory duties;
• the coordination between the oversight organisations involved
in emergency planning and the effective interaction with the
licensees in this field.
The mission identified a few points worthy of particular attention or
improvement, in particular:
• the regulatory framework for monitoring exposure in the
medical field should be evaluated to ensure that there are
no shortcomings and that the coordination between the
organisations involved is appropriate;
TO BE NOTED
• the system used by ASN to assess and modify its regulatory
framework should be reinforced;
• all the processes ASN needs in order to perform its role should be
specified in its integrated management system and implemented
in full;
• new means must be examined in order to guarantee that ASN
has the human and financial resources it needs for effective
oversight of nuclear safety and radiation protection in the future.
ASN considers that the IRRS missions make a significant
contribution to the international safety and radiation protection
system. ASN is thus closely involved in hosting missions in France
and in participating in missions in other countries. Commissioner
Margot Tirmarche thus carried out an IRRS mission in Ireland in
2015.
In 2006, ASN hosted the first IRRS (Integrated Regulatory Review
Service) mission concerning all the activities of a safety regulator,
with a follow-up mission in 2009.
This audit is the result of the European Nuclear Safety Directive
which requires a peer review mission every ten years.
The reports for the 2006, 2009 and 2014 IRRS missions are
available for consultation on
www.asn.fr.
79
CHAPTER 02:
PRINCIPLES AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE REGULATION OF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION
ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015