The French Nuclear Safety Authority’s Experience with radioactive transport inspection

Year
2004
Author(s)
Emmanuel JACOB - Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nucléaire et de la Radioprotection
Jacques AGUILAR - Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nucléaire et de la Radioprotection
File Attachment
1-3_059.pdf121.26 KB
Abstract
About 300,000 radioactive material packages are transported annually in France. Most consist of radioisotopes for medical, pharmaceutical or industrial use. On the other hand, the nuclear industry deals with the transport of fuel cycle materials (uranium, fuel assemblies, etc.) and waste from power plants, reprocessing plants and research centers. France is also a transit country for shipments such as spent fuel packages from Switzerland or Germany, which are bound for Sellafield in Great Britain. The French nuclear safety authority (DGSNR: Directorate General for Nuclear Safety and Radioprotection) has been responsible since 1997 for the safety of radioactive material transport. This paper presents DGNSR’s experience with transport inspection: a feedback of key points based on 300 inspections achieved during the past five years is given.