French engineering and operation rules for plutonium facilities

COGEMA is operating large size purifying and conditioning plutonium facilities at LA HAGUE and MOX fuels fabrication plant at MARCOULE. A high safety standard is recognised for these facilities. It is mainly based on : . prevention of spreading of radioactive materials to workers and environment by . physical barriers ensuring static containment and by a cascade of pressure . differentials ensuring dynamic containment, . radiation shielding and remote controlled processes ensuring very low dose to workers, . prevention of criticality accident by criticality control methods and double contingency principle, . prevention of fire risks by control of ignition sources, adequate management of combustible materials, physical separation between zones where there is a risk of fire and the remainder of the facility. The facilities are operated while respecting safety requirements as described in the General Operating Rules. The equipment involved in safety functions are monitored and periodically checked. Continuous improvement by incorporation of feed back of safety experience results in : - effective decrease of exposure to operating staff - reduction of solid waste, liquid and gaseous effluents - no significant incident recorded.