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	Foreword The year 2009 Presentation The commission Keytopics The ASN's organisation
	Nuclear activities: ionising radiations and health and environmental risks The principles and stakeholders in nuclear safety regulation, radiation protection and protection of the environment Regulations Regulation of nuclear activities and exposure to ionising radiations Radiological emergencies Public information and transparency International relations Regional overview of nuclear safety and radiation protection
	Medical uses of ionising radiations Non-medical uses of ionising radiations Transport of radioactive materials EDF nuclear power plants Nuclear fuel cycle installations Nuclear research facilities and various nuclear installations Safe decommissioning of basic nuclear installations Radioactive waste and polluted sites
	Annual report 2009 - PDF format Previous reports The INES scale The ASN-SFRO scale Strategic plan for 2010 - 2012
	Nuclear Security and Transparency Act Waste Act Commissioner's biographies

Non-medical uses of ionising radiations

Chapter 10

Presentation of non-medical activities using ionising radiations
1. Sealed radioactive sources
  1. Industrial irradiation
  2. Non-destructive testing
  3. verification of physical parameters
  4. Other common applications
2. Unsealed radioactive sources
3. Electrical devices emitting ionising radiations
4. Particle accelerators
5. Worker dosimetry
Regulating non-medical activities
1. Licensing frameworks for ionising radiation sources used for non-medical purposes
2. Licensing procedures
3. Radionuclide source management rules
4. Revocation of unjustified or prohibited activities
Equipment inventory and ensuring compliance with the regulations
1. Equipment inventory
2. Ensuring compliance with the regulations
Regulation of radiation sources
1. Licences issued by ASN
2. Regulation by ASN
3. The main incidents and accidents in 2009
4. End-of-life sealed sources
Coordination with foreign authorities
Monitoring of radioactive source protection against malicious acts
Outlook

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In the field of regulating applications of ionising radiations in the non-medical sector, ASN's aim is to work to ensure that the operators take full account of the risks involved in the use of ionising radiations. This problem is accentuated by the diversity and numbers of the parties involved. Recent incidents in France and serious accidents abroad, for example in the field of gamma radiography, demonstrate once again the need for scrupulous implementation of the regulations and stringent operations. In this field, as in 2009, ASN is continuing with its priority measures through optimum use of its resources:

the central level will in 2010 continue with supplier regulation, both through review of the authorisation dossiers and through inspections within the organisations concerned;
the regional levels, responsible for monitoring the users of radioactive sources or electrical devices emitting ionising radiations, will continue with surveillance and verifications at the users.

During the course of its regulatory activities, ASN must remain vigilant and determined concerning any deviations that could lead to events with serious consequences for workers or for the public. Following the incidents related to gamma radiography sources, it initiated specific, targeted monitoring actions on high-level sources. ASN also considers that the public needs to be more precisely informed of its regulation and inspection activities. The principle of the publication of ASN inspection follow-up letters will thus be expanded in 2010 to take in the non-medical sector.

The other actions initiated in previous years will be continued and supplemented in 2010 through:

continuation of the work to revise the licences issued to the manufacturers and suppliers of radioactive sources and the actions undertaken concerning the research sector;
extension of the licensing system for suppliers of electrical generators of ionising radiations used in the non-medical sector;
inspections carried out, particularly with those using and in possession of gamma radiography devices and high-level sources.

ASN aims to maintain closer ties with all industrial and research stakeholders and organisations, one aspect of this being, when issuing its licences, to intensify its verifications on the extent to which the decision to use radioactivity is justified.