• M Debes.
• Electricité de France, Inspection générale pour la Sûreté nucléaire, Paris.
• Rev Prat. 1995 Mar 15; 45 (6 Spec No): 41-5.

AbstractThe lessons drawn from real reactor accidents are of great value. The safety approach in France relies on defence in depth and takes into account accidents in the plant design, completed by a probabilistic approach and experience feedback. Ultimate procedures are implemented on the basis of severe accidents studies which include core melting or partial containment defect, in order to mitigate their consequences even if they are improbable, and to enable a proper implementation of emergency planning countermeasures. The accident hypothesis and consequences are considered to draw the emergency planning procedures. Off site countermeasures, such as in house-confinement, limited evacuation or iodine distribution, are efficient in limiting the consequences for the public. Experience feedback, in association with a proactive vigilance and prevention policy, is developed in order to detect and correct in a proactive way the root causes of any deviation, even minor, so as to avoid multiple failures and ensure safety.

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