1. French National Radioactive Sources Register (SIGIS)
International Workshop on National Sources Registry
20-23 March 2017, Vienna
(IRSN – source expertise unit)

2. Regulatory background (1/3)
International regulatory framework
Euratom Council Regulation 1493/93 (european transfers)
Euratom Directive 2013/59
IAEA recommendations
Code of conduct
Guidance on the import and export of radioactive sources (especially about sources of categories 1 and 2 according IAEA definition)

3. Regulatory background (2/3)
French provisions pertaining to radioactive sources revised to take into account international framework
Public health code (2007 release)
which activity requires an authorization
rules to follow for various movements (import/export, supply, acquisition to use, source taking back)
supplier inventory every 3-months
Labour code (2007 release)
training and surveillance of the staff
control of facilities
user inventory every year

4. Regulatory background (3/3)
IRSN role
Management of the national register of radioactive sources
Control of compliancy of source movements towards authorization framework
Expertise to the national authorities if requested before granting authorizations

5. Actors Contrôle des sources
French Nuclear Safety Authorities (ASN, DSND, Local representative
of the governement)
Industrial users (8000)
ANDRA
National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management
Association RESSOURCES
financial provisions
Customs
International organisations
Medical users (2500)
Industrial suppliers (220)
Medical suppliers (65)

6. 45000 SEALED SOURCES recorded in database
RADIONUCLIDES
USE
ACTIVITÉ
52%
30%
11% 7%
MBq
GBq
TBq

7. The national register of radioactive sources
Basic principles
Each source transfer is only possible between two authorized persons
Each source transfer must be recorded in the national register prior to the physical transfer
Forms filled in by the supplier and the user
IRSN Visa to prove and to endorse the record in the national register
Report of all irregular transfers to the competent authorities
Yearly cross check: inventories vs national register
Commitment of the supplier for source « back trip »

8. SIGIS : the national register database
Operated since 2002
A database belonging to IRSN shared with ASN

9. SIGIS : Registration of data FIRST STEP
Authority
IRSN
Copy of paper sheet notifying authorization
Registration of these features into the « steady » part of SIGIS
Licensee / user
Transmission of pre-formatted forms to the licensee

10. SIGIS : registration of data SECOND AND THIRD STEPS
Second step : movements
Endorsement of the forms sent by the licensee
Registration of features of the movement in SIGIS
Automatic update of the amount of radioactive sources owned by the user
Disused sources : sources removed from the inventory if taking back certificate (register updated)
Third step : Cancellation
Check if inventory is empty for users (IRSN)
Check if there is no more sources disseminated by the supplier (IRSN)
Notification of cancellation sent by authorities
Removal of the account of the licensee

11. SIGIS : the contents The « alive » authorizations
Previous releases (due to each change)
The « planed » authorizations
The « cancelled » authorizations
menus for devices, source models, accidents
Recordkeeping of movements
Exchanges generated along the life of an authorization (either by authorities or IRSN)
Many integrated queries

12. French forms for source transfers (1/2)
Each source transfer must be recorded in the national register prior to the physical transfer using an pre-formatted form
Import/export forms :
Filled in with list of concerned radionuclides and activity, description and supplier/recipient
Authorization data
IRSN VISA proving that the transfer was registered in the national register
limit of validity
List of concerned radionuclides
destination
Customs data
Data forms are registered in SIGIS database

13. Automatic controls on borders
Transfer forms are controlled on borders
Since January 2017, SIGIS is connected with (Customs Database)
receive automatic informations from SIGIS about movements declared at customs
Automatic checks are performed
Time spared
Highest security because of no more possibility to falsified forms

14. French forms for source transfers (2/2)
Authorization data
Purchase sealed sources forms :
Filled in with source and device references, radionuclide and activity, description and location of use, and mentionned user and supplier authorization
Contain a supplier commitment for taking back sealed source when not used anymore or after 10 year use
IRSN VISA
Source data
Supplier data
Use description
Device including source data
Source to exchange
Supplier commitment

15. Focus on management of used sources
When a source is not used anymore :
The usual return route
Obligation of the user: to get rid of all disused sources
Obligation of the supplier : take back all sources on request of the user, with no condition
General rule: a source cannot be used for more than 10 years
What else
Financial provisions to ensure the safe management, in case the supplier is out of business
Orphan sources (seldom met) : discovery of a source out of regulatory control  characterization and sent to ANDRA
But there are limits due to operating rules of ANDRA shallow-land repository

16. Outstanding points An system co-operated by two different bodies
Registration and endorsement PRIOR TO the movement
Registration of sources from highest activities levels down to exemption levels
A fifty year old register

17. Conclusions and Future prospects
The system allows currently the management of authorizations and sealed sources
The system has been renovated 3 years ago
to use new technology (internet for example)
to open the system to authorities (or institutional partners) spread out across the territory and to the users/suppliers
To upload and download forms at different stages of validation (still in progress)