The
French ''Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire'' (IRSN) ("Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute") located in
Fontenay-aux-Roses
Fontenay-aux-Roses () is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.
In 1880, a girls school was opened in the town. It was one of the most prestigious of Paris and even of whole France in t ...
is a public official establishment with an industrial and commercial aspect (EPIC) created by the AFSSE Act ( – French Agency of Sanitary Environmental Security) and by February 22, 2002 decreed n°2002-254. The IRSN is placed under the conjoint authority of the
Defence minister
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...
, the
Environmental minister, the
Industry minister and the
Health
Health has a variety of definitions, which have been used for different purposes over time. In general, it refers to physical and emotional well-being, especially that associated with normal functioning of the human body, absent of disease, p ...
and
Research minister.
The IRSN gathers more than 1500 experts and researchers from the
Institut de protection et de sûreté nucléaire (IPSN – Protection and Nuclear Safety Institute) and the
Office de protection contre les rayonnements ionisants (OPRI – Ionizing radiations protection office). These scientists are thus competent on
nuclear
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
*Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
* Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
safety,
radioactive
Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is conside ...
protection and control of nuclear and sensitive materials.The IRSN realize investigations, expertise assessments and studies on the fields of nuclear safety, protection against
ionizing radiation
Ionizing (ionising) radiation, including Radioactive decay, nuclear radiation, consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that have enough energy per individual photon or particle to ionization, ionize atoms or molecules by detaching ...
, protection and control of nuclear material, and protection against voluntary ill-advised acts.
History
2001: creation of IRSN by law no. 2001-398 of 9 May 2001, article 51. IRSN was created from the merger of the Institute for Nuclear Protection and Safety (IPSN), which was part of the Commissariat à Atomic Energy (CEA) and the Office for Protection against Ionizing Radiation (OPRI), which was attached to the Ministry of Health, with the aim of creating a new public research and expertise establishment, independent of industrialists.
2002: operation of IRSN specified by decree no. 2002-254 of February 22, 2002.
2007: operation of IRSN modified by decree no. 2007-529 of April 6, 2007 to take account of law no. 2006-686 of June 13, 2006, relating to transparency and security in nuclear matters.
2016: operation of IRSN amended by decree no. 2016-283 of March 10, 2016 creating articles R592-15 et seq. in the environment code and repealing decree no. 2002-254 of February 22, 2002.
2025: The
Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR) created by the law on the organisation of the governance of nuclear safety and radiation protection of 21 May 2024 came into operation on 1 January 2025. It is the result of the merger of the
Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASN) and the Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire (IRSN).
Organization
Presentation
IRSN has nearly 1,816 employees, including many specialists, engineers, researchers, doctors, agronomists, veterinarians and technicians, competent experts in nuclear safety and radiation protection as well as in the field of control of sensitive nuclear materials.
This staff is spread over 9 sites in France, with the Institute's headquarters located in Fontenay-aux-Roses. The largest facilities are located in Fontenay-aux-Roses, Vésinet and Cadarache. Establishments are also present in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, Orsay, Saclay, Tournemire, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and Tahiti. This last antenna is responsible for monitoring radioactive fallout from former French nuclear tests in French Polynesia.
See also
*
Chernobyl disaster
On 26 April 1986, the no. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located near Pripyat, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine), exploded. With dozens of direct casualties, it is one of only ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Institut de radioprotection et de surete nucleaire
Government agencies of France
Medical and health organizations based in France
Nuclear research institutes
Nuclear safety in France
2002 establishments in France
Hauts-de-Seine
Radiation protection organizations