Any nuclear facility, beginning with its creation up to its decommissioning is placed
under the control of the Nuclear Safety Authorities.
Fundamental principles of safety are integrated into its design:
Containment of all nuclear materials: successive barriers are set up between the
materials and the environment,
Analysis of the associated hazards due to the operation of the facility in both
normal and accident situations,
Specific means designed to avoid risks and to reduce the occurrence of any
incidents and their possible impact.
Each facility on the Centre is subject to strict procedures governing its operation.
Internal and external monitoring is continually carried out as well as safety updates
and improvements designed to deal with fire hazards and earthquakes.
Radioprotection of the personnel:
At each workstation, the radiological risks are identified and
become the object of specific provisions in order to limit,
monitor and control all employees’ exposure level to ionising
radiation.
All members of the personnel are required to undergo routine
medical checkups throughout their entire careers. This
health service is supervised by the occupational medicine
team of the Cadarache Centre.
Physical protection of the site
Controlled access to the Centre, road safety, fire prevention
and the surveillance of high security zones are tasks assigned
to the Security Services in Cadarache.
These teams, highly trained in fire-fighting techniques and in
the patrolling of the Centre, are equipped with telesurveillance
means. Their task is to intervene in any type of incident
or accident: technological, radiological or chemical. They will
also be called upon to deal with any fires or any attempt at illegal intrusion on the centre.
Accident Management
The Cadarache Centre has an Internal Emergency Plan (IEP). The
director of the centre can launch this emergency plan as soon as
any irregularity or abnormal occurrence jeopardising the safety
of the personnel or facilities is detected. The IEP describes all
safety procedures, rescue measures and means that must be
implemented in such cases.
More than fifty safety drills are organised each year for the training
of the intervention teams.
If the consequences of an accident are likely to spread beyond
the boundaries of the centre, a Specific Plan of Intervention (SPI)
can be implemented.
Designed and developed by the Prefect of the Department of Les
Bouches-du-Rhone and the Direction of the CEA Cadarache
Centre, the prime consideration of the SPI is to inform the population,
guarantee their safety and to facilitate any safety and rescue
operations.
Safety - Security
