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RISK FACTORS
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4.4 Industrial and environmental risks
The related requirements cover cask design, fabrication, operation and
maintenance.
AREVA’s objective is to ensure an optimum level of safety and security during
transportation. To accomplish its mission of supervising the group’s transportation
operations, AREVA has an organization that analyzes risks, establishes action plans
and manages emergencies around the globe. Its tracking center is able to access
in real time all necessary information on shipments under its supervision at any
moment.
In addition, insurance is taken out for shipments in accordance with the conditions
described in Section 4.4.1.9.
Special coverage relating to nuclear facility operations
.
4.4.1.5.
NUCLEAR SAFETY IN THE AREVA GROUP
Nuclear safety encompasses all of the technical provisions and organizational
measures pertaining to the design, construction, operation, shut-down and
dismantling of regulated nuclear facilities and to the transportation of radioactive
materials, and designed to prevent accidents and limit their consequences.
Nuclear safety is an absolute priority for AREVA. The group formalized its
commitments in the fields of nuclear safety and radiation protection in a Nuclear
Safety Charter which aims to ensure a very high level of nuclear safety throughout
the operation of its facilities and its services activities. The Charter is founded on
the principles hereunder.
Organizational principles
The management of AREVA and of each of its subsidiaries have set up an
organization reflecting the legal provisions of the country involved based on the
prime responsibility of the operator. Each site director is responsible for nuclear
safety and radiation protection at that site. He or she sets up an appropriate
organizational structure to ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements for
every aspect of nuclear safety and radiation protection are applied at every affected
unit and facility. He or she delegates authority as regards nuclear safety and has the
resources to verify implementation of this delegation independently of operating
personnel.
Action principles
Nuclear safety applies to every stage in the facility lifecycle, from design to
dismantling, and to the services operations. It builds on a nuclear safety culture
shared by all personnel and maintained by regular training. In the area of radiation
protection, the group is committed to maintaining the exposure of workers and the
public to a level as low as reasonably achievable (see Section 4.4.1.1.). The same
continuous improvement initiative applies to the reduction of impacts from liquid
and gaseous effluents (see Appendix 3, Section 2.
Environmental information
of
the 2016 Reference Document).
An organization
In the fields of nuclear safety and radiation protection, the Safety, Health, Security
and Environment Department defines, leads and coordinates the group’s nuclear
safety and radiation protection policy; coordinates regulatory intelligence in the
fields of safety and radiation protection; and provides leadership for the network
of related experts. It provides the necessary support to the operating entities and
steers relations with the regulators.
General Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety
The General Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety is placed under the responsibility of
the Inspector General, who reports directly to the group’s Executive Management. It
proposes and implements an annual nuclear facility inspection program to prevent
any risk that would potentially alter nuclear safety. To perform its duties, the General
Inspectorate has:
p
a corps of inspectors who perform independent verifications of the operating
organization of the facilities; and
p
continuous support from the nuclear safety specialists of the Safety, Health,
Security and Environment Department.
The Inspector General proposes an annual inspection programwhich is approved
at the highest level. This programensures that the Nuclear Safety Charter is correctly
applied, detects any warning signs of a potential deterioration in nuclear safety
performance, and points to necessary improvements to ensure the best level of
control.
Subcontracting
Ensuring nuclear safety, health, industrial safety and environmental protection
in subcontracted activities is an ever-present concern for the nuclear industry.
AREVA is dedicated to improving the formal conditions for subcontracting and
for monitoring subcontracted work. These include applying internal guidelines for
compliance with nuclear safety, radiation protection and environmental protection
requirements as part of the procurement process. They also include definition
of social certification of service providers based on the criteria of nuclear safety,
occupational safety, training, professional development and employee satisfaction.
Reporting system
AREVA endeavors to provide reliable and relevant information enabling an
objective assessment of the status of nuclear safety in its facilities. Nuclear events
are ranked according to the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale
(INES), including in countries where no such requirement exists (see Appendix 3
Section 2.
Environmental information
). The INES ranks the severity of events from
0 to 7. Level 1 or higher events are of public record.
As per its commitments, the group publishes the Annual Report of the General
Inspectorate of Nuclear Safety, both in hard copy and on its website. This report
presents the status of nuclear safety and radiation protection in the group’s nuclear
facilities in France and abroad, as observed through the program of inspections,
and draws on analyses of events and on various items identified by nuclear safety
specialists as areas for improvement.
In addition, pursuant to article L. 125-15 of the Environmental Code, each of the sites
operating the group’s nuclear facilities in France publishes an Annual Information
Report concerning in particular nuclear safety and radiation protection, and makes
it publicly available.
4.4.1.6.
PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARD OF NUCLEAR
MATERIALS AND FACILITIES
In addition to the measures adopted to prevent the risks of an incident or accident
and limit the consequences, sites in possession of nuclear materials must take
measures to prevent the loss, theft or diversion of the materials held in the facilities,
or any act that might result in their dispersal in the environment.
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2016 AREVA
REFERENCE DOCUMENT