Certification Radioactive waste management at operating nuclear power plants
Certification objectives and context
In France, nuclear waste management is governed by the June 28, 2006 law on the sustainable management of radioactive materials and waste. The law lays down several principles: protection of human health and the environment, reduction of the quantity and harmfulness of radioactive waste, prevention or limitation of the burdens borne by future generations, and the "polluter pays" principle which prevails in environmental law.
The nuclear industry sorts, reprocesses, recycles, stores and monitors its operating and decommissioning waste.
The " Radioactive waste management at a nuclear power plant in operation " certification attests to the technical and regulatory skills of any person categorized and authorized to take part in activities involving the sorting, packaging and dispatch of radioactive waste from a nuclear power plant to a treatment facility, including skills relating to the internal transport of dangerous goods on EDF nuclear power plants (CNPE) in application of the General Operating Rules (RGE) for internal transport.
Certified skills
The skills certified are :
- BC 1. Understand the issues and rules of waste management from source to dispatch.
- BC 2. Sort waste according to established criteria, classification defined in the operator's system, and level of radioactivity.
- BC 3: Condition the various types of radioactive waste in accordance with the nuclear operator's rules and requirements, so that they can be shipped to the appropriate destination.
- BC.4 Record information concerning the shipment of various types of radioactive waste (TFA, FA/MA) resulting from the operation of a nuclear power plant, in accordance with the rules and requirements of the nuclear operator and the destination facility, in order to guarantee traceability.
- BC 5 : Prepare radioactive waste shipment
Assessment procedures
To validate certification, there are 2 assessment methods:
1/ A knowledge test to assess mastery of the theoretical concepts of the skills (BC1, BC2, BC3, BC4 and BC5) on the following topics:
- Types of waste
- Radiation protection and waste management
- Waste sorting in nuclear power plants
- Andra
- CSA, CIRES, Centraco
- Waste operating procedures and waste monitoring
- Waste classification and nomenclature
- Storage rules and locations
- Zoning and signage,
- RP devices
- Packaging types and uses
- Package quality documents: FS-FIC-PV- labelling
- Computerized parcel tracking systems: DRA, WASTE APP software
- General operating rules (RGE) for internal transport of dangerous goods on EDF sites
- Lashing and securing
2/ Candidates are put through their paces on a training site or at a nuclear power plant, to assess their mastery of skills (BC2, BC3, BC4 and BC5).
During this assessment, the candidate is given a job file, as he or she might be required to perform it at a nuclear power plant. He/she must carry out all phases of the task, and be assessed according to the skills assessment form in a simulated work situation.
The simulation takes place in 3 stages:
The duration indicated is indicative and recommended. It will be specified on the day of the assessment, and will depend on the intervention requested.
- Preparation phase :
Candidates are given time to familiarize themselves with the scenario's intervention file. Throughout the scenario, including the preparation phase, the nuclear trainer takes on the role of work supervisor. Preparation time is estimated at 30 min.
- Intervention:
The candidate performs the task requested in the task file, with the help of the nuclear trainer if necessary. The other 2 members observe the work and complete the skills assessment form in a simulated work situation. The procedure takes an estimated 60 minutes.
- Debriefing :
Back in the room, the jury members debrief the candidate.
The debriefing takes an estimated 15 minutes.
All skill blocks will be assessed by a panel of 2 professionals with significant experience and expertise in the field of radioactive waste management at operating nuclear power plants.