WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1243/97 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Commission. Inadequate safeguards in the nuclear industry
Date: 1997-04-08
Institutions: European Parliament, MUSCARDINI
Subjects: EAEC Treaty, EC Directive, occupational medicine, occupational safety, radiation protection, safety standard













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91997E1243

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1243/97 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Commission. Inadequate safeguards in the nuclear industry  


Official Journal C 391 , 23/12/1997 P. 0059 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1243/97 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (8 April 1997)Subject: Inadequate safeguards in the nuclear industryWhen subjected to careful scrutiny, the radiological protection afforded to external employees in the nuclear industry, namely auxiliary staff, prompts considerable bewilderment. Medical certificates are written out by qualified personnel who very often change from one year to the next and are input into computer systems only after a long delay, thus preventing a doctor administering treatment from ascertaining the exact quantity of radiation to which an employee in the nuclear industry has been exposed.Will the Commission issue:1. a Directive to protect the health of persons working at nuclear installations by prohibiting government authorities from delegating responsibilities for radiation protection to service companies;2. a Directive whereby the various types of firms authorized to carry out maintenance work in the nuclear industry would have to be entered in special registers?Joint answer to Written Questions E-1243/97 and E-1256/97 given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (16 May 1997)The fundamental principles governing the operational protection of workers occupationally exposed to ionising radiation are given in Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13 March 1996 laying down the basic safety standards in radiological protection of workers and the general public ((OJ L 159, 29. 6. 1996. )).This Directive has to be brought into force before 13 May 2000 and replaces, inter alia, the 80/836/Euratom ((OJ L 246, 17. 9. 1980. )) basic safety standards Directive which still forms the legal basis for the national radiation protection legislation currently in force.In recognition of the particular situation of occupationally exposed workers not permanently employed by the operator of a nuclear facility, the Council adopted Directive 90/641/Euratom ((OJ L 349, 13.12.1990. )) on the operational radiation protection of outside workers during their activities in controlled areas. The Directive is based on the need to define clearly the obligations of outside undertakings and operators with respect to the specific working conditions of outside workers, without prejudice to the contribution they themselves have to make to their own protection.Both the basic safety standards Directive and the complementary Directive on outside workers oblige the Member States to establish adequate radiological monitoring systems including individual medical and dose records.The Commission has taken many initiatives and will continue to make all possible efforts in supporting and assisting the Member States in the practical implementation of the respective requirements in order to assure best radiation protection for all occupational exposed workers to ionizing radiation.