SSR
Safety, security, and radiation protection
A risk management team
Since it was first put into service in 1983, GANIL has contributed to many discoveries, and to considerable progress in nuclear physics, in particular with regard to the structure of the atomic nucleus. The know-how accumulated by GANIL's staff, in the running of high-technology facilities and the accommodation of international teams, is a major asset for the installation of the new SPIRAL2 system.
Reporting to GANIL's head, the Security, Safety and Radiation Protection group is responsible for on-site risk management. It is staffed by people competent in various fields:
- The staff of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforce regulations relevant to occupational safety and working conditions.
- The staff of the Nuclear and Environmental Safety administration are responsible for the protection of the population and the environment against risks resulting from GANIL's operation. They contribute towards the formulation of recommendations, based on risk analysis, for operational constraints and restrictions. They ensure proper application of regulations and the ASN-approved safety framework, and are also in charge of environmental monitoring.
- The Radiation Protection Service (SPR) ensures the safety of workers and the general population against the risks associated with the use of ionizing radiation, emitted during normal GANIL operation. It also ensures the dosimetric monitoring of the staff and site, as well as the enforcement of regulations.
An applied safety approach for the SPIRAL2 project
This approach is fundamentally deterministic. It relies on the erection of barriers between sources of danger and the staff, the public and the environment.
It also relies on the “defense in depth principle” according to which, in spite of measures taken to prevent errors, incidents and accidents, it is assumed that these will occur anyway, and requires that studies be carried out in order to design means for detecting these errors, incidents and accidents, preventing them and reducing their effects. This principle comprises 3 lines of defense:
- Prevention of accidents
- Monitoring and means of intervention
- Limitation of effects.
During the design phase, the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) approach is used, the purpose of which is to optimize the facilities so that, for example, the smallest possible effects on the environment and staff are ensured, whilst taking into account certain economical and social constraints.
The annual dosimetric goal related to staff activities within the SPIRAL2 project's facilities is 2 mSv per year.
