One year after obtaining Qualianor certification for radiation protection, Altea Energy successfully passed its annual surveillance audit at the end of September 2024.
This crucial step confirms that the company continues to meet the highest safety standards in the nuclear sector in France, ensuring the protection of its consultants from risks associated with ionizing radiation.
A major challenge for consultant safety in the nuclear sector
The surveillance audit, conducted annually after the initial certification obtained for three years, is carried out by an external auditor accredited by Qualianor. This renewal is a mandatory step for certified companies. It ensures that the standards defined during certification are maintained over time.
“The surveillance audit covers the entire scope of our initial certification obtained in 2023: document management, operational procedures, compliance with radiation protection standards, as well as the leadership and responsibilities of the team to ensure compliance with safety standards,” explains Pamela Bobillier, Transformation Director at Altea Energy.
This audit assessed the organization’s compliance with all the clauses of the Qualianor reference framework, ensuring that each mission carried out in irradiated areas strictly adheres to radiation protection measures. Maintaining certification reflects Altea Energy’s rigor and commitment to ensuring the safety of its consultants and clients.
“The surveillance audit conducted in September 2024 concluded with no non-conformities, a notable success that demonstrates the seriousness with which Altea Energy applies its processes. A few observations were raised, and they will be addressed before the next surveillance audit, in line with the continuous improvement approach we apply to all our internal and external processes,” proudly adds Pamela Bobillier.
Strict management of radiation protection
Altea Energy’s imperative is to ensure optimal protection for consultants deployed on nuclear projects, while guaranteeing legal and regulatory compliance.
“We rely on a management system dedicated to radiation protection, reinforced by external collaboration with Ingéris, which provides us with a Radiation Protection Advisor (RPA). This system ensures that each consultant working in irradiated areas on nuclear sites in France is trained and monitored in compliance with the highest standards. Thanks to the dosimeters provided to each consultant, data is collected monthly via the Siseri platform, allowing for continuous monitoring of radiation exposure,” continues Pamela Bobillier.
Indeed, each intervention on a nuclear site must be carefully planned in advance with a thorough risk assessment, carried out jointly with the RPA. This process allows for adjustments to the maximum radiation doses consultants can be exposed to, based on their previous missions and the specific characteristics of the nuclear site.
A winning strategy for nuclear development
Maintaining the Qualianor certification for 2024 is further proof of Altea Energy’s expertise in the nuclear sector. Since its achievement in 2023, this certification has already strengthened the company’s credibility with major contractors, while addressing the specific health and safety needs of the sector.
By maintaining its certification, Altea Energy positions itself as a strategic partner in providing and mobilizing qualified personnel and managing their interventions in irradiated areas, demonstrating its ability to operate in highly regulated environments.
“The health and safety of our employees and our community of consultants are at the core of our strategy. Through rigorous annual audits and continuous improvement processes, we ensure that the risks related to ionizing radiation are controlled. Additionally, an annual medical check-up is provided for each consultant working on nuclear sites, ensuring medical monitoring tailored to the specific risks of the sector,” concludes Pamela Bobillier.
For Guillaume Escoubas, Nuclear Account Manager at Altea Energy, this success is another step towards achieving development goals in the nuclear sector:
“The results of the surveillance audit confirm our ability to meet the strictest requirements in radiation protection. This strengthens our position in the nuclear market and proves our commitment to protecting our consultants while supporting our clients in their energy transition projects.”
>> Discover our expertise in the nuclear sector
————
About Altea Energy
Join our community of experts and together, let’s transform the energies of tomorrow!
Since 2008, Altea Energy has selected and mobilized thousands of experts on more than 300 projects in the oil and gas, renewable energies and nuclear sectors.
We mobilize contractors in more than 100 countries, with a strong footprint in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, in full compliance with local laws and regulations.