Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

1. Management of emergencies in industrial radiography Meeting IAEA - June 2014 Anne Cordelle -Grégory FONTAINE

2. Industrial radiography in France • 550 gamma radiography devices 500 X ray generators • Recorded exposures : 1 400 000in 2011 • -> 1/2 on site-> 1/3 on site with Ir 192 • Recorded shielded enclosures : • -> 93 for gamma device -> 242 for X ray generators • 1266 radiographers • 336 radiation protection officers • 200 agencies • Main fields : nuclear plants, refinery, chemistry factory, foundry… June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrialradiography

3. Recent incidents • Events notified to ASN according to specific requirements Incidents occured in BNI Other incidents • Only few incidents with dose exceeding regulatory levels (3 incidents) • Main causes are : controlled areas, source control loss June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrialradiography

4. Recent incidents • Since 2010 ASN has observed the operations to retrieve the source when the source is stuck or misconnected could be improved • important consequences on industrial safety of the facilities where site radiography is performed • important consequences on the radiation protection of the workers who carried out these operations Theses operations must be specifically controlled → In 2013, ASN organized a working group to define or to review . Different types of source control loss . Procedures and means to regain the control of the source June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrialradiography

5. Context National register for radioactive sources UES Expertise in radiation protection for radioactive sources Technical support June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

6. Context • Working Group Markupcrossing Incidents in France Loss of control of sources Working Group on industrialradiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

7. Context • Working Group Markupcrossing Incidents in France Loss of control of sources Working Group on industrialradiography 1. Source stuck in the device 2. Source disconnectedfrom the drive cable 3. Source out of the device June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

8. Context • Working Group Markupcrossing Technical solutions for recovering a source in case of a loss of control Incidents in France Loss of control of sources Working Group on industrialradiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

9. Context • Working Group Definition of interventions in advance for each situation Scenarii Source out of control Working Group on industrialradiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography 9/26

10. Methodology June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

11. Methodology Databases Incidents in France Loss of control Circumstances, causes Real situations Internet June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

12. Methodology Databases Incidents in France Loss of control Circumstances/ causes Real situations Internet Scenarii Study of equipment Potential situations June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

13. Equipment • Particularity in France One type of device widely used. 600 devices in France, 90% are Gam80/120. The Scenarii are mainly defined for Gam80/120 June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

14. Equipment • Description Exposure container Source holder June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

15. Equipment • Description The canal islinear. For the connections : • Drive cable • Guide tube A remote control permit to move the source (electric or with a crank) June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

16. Equipment • Description June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

17. Methodology • Location of the source June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

18. Methodology • Location in the guide tube June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

19. Methodology • Location in the guide tube • Source-holderdisconnectedfrom the drive cable June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography Source-holder connected to the drive cable

20. Scenarii June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

21. Scenarii Object in the container Object in the guide tube Object in the container Object in the guide tube June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

22. Scenarii Damage of the guide tube Damage of the guide tube June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

23. Scenarii Crankfailure Crankfailure Rupture of shutter control Crankfailure Rupture of the source holder Crankfailure June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

24. Scenarii Connection of the collimator Connection drive cable/source holder Connection of the collimator June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

25. Other points to consider • Environment • Radioactive source • Half-life • Activity June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography Where is the equipment ? Access conditions ?

26. Emergency response • Main actions defined by the working group • (1) Ensure controlled area barriers are in the correct place • (2) Inform customer • (3) Inform RPO, qualified expert, source supplier, ASN • (4) Definition of an intervention to retrieve source • (5) Intervention • (6) Report with doses In compliance with stages described in the IAEA guide (6) (5) (5) (3) (4) (1) (2) Report stage Post emergency stage Recoverystage Initial stage Planning stage June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrialradiography

27. Emergency response Definition of a summary sheet • Description of the incident : - source, device, failure, - dose rates, - site configuration • Stakeholders to inform • Intervention definition • Intervention implementation - operators, - assessed doses - received doses - successful attempt or not June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrialradiography

28. Emergency response Different types of interventions Intervention complexity Level 2 Intervention Intervention to decrease dose rates Level 1 Intervention Distance with source June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

29. Emergency response 75 % covered • 10 procedures have been written to describe interventions Incident scenarios • Procedures framework : • When the procedure has to be implemented • Material means, operator training • A flow sheet with all steps • A safety assessment • Dose assessment • Maximum dose rates • Critical intervention : -> Intervention to locate source and to cover it with shielding June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

30. Emergency response • With Iridium or Selenium sources -> Maximum dose rate about 50 mSv/h (a distance about 3 m with an Iridium source about 120 Ci) -> An individual dose about 3 mSv • With important Cobalt sources -> Dose rates are too important (about 600 mSv / 3m far the source) -> Robots would be used June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

31. Emergency response • Tools used to retrieve source -> When the guide tube is damaged and the source has become stuck Source holder Tool Guide tube June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

32. Emergency response • Tools used to retrieve source -> When the source is disconnected from the control cable Source holder Specific tool connected with the control cable -> to push -> to pull (magnetic tool) Source changer June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

33. Working groupprospects Finish writing all theprocedures Communication of a report Authorizations to implement procedures Annual meetings -> feed back -> procedures improvements Implementation June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

34. Regulatory projects • French regulations currently covers . Gamma radiography device design . Conditions of use of gamma radiography device . Shielded enclosure design . Radiographer certification . Radiation protection organization, dosimeters, health monitoring, controlled area… • Projects to strengthen implementation of justification/optimization principle : . Ban site radiography when the object to be controlled may be moved -> Incident consequences are less important in shielded enclosures . Ban using Ir (or Co) when the thickness is less than 30 mm (steel eq.) to promote Se -> Incident consequences are less important with Se -> Operations to regain control of the situation are easier with Se June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography

35. Regulatory projects • Projects to improve the emergency response : . Availability of suitable means and procedures to regain control of the situation -> needs convention with supplier, qualified expert June 2014 – Management of emergencies in industrial radiography