Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire

The French Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire (IRSN) ("Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute") is a public official establishment with an industrial and commercial aspect (EPIC) created by the AFSSE Act (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire environnementale - French Agency of Sanitary Environmental Security) and by the February 22, 2002 decreed n°2002-254. The IRSN is placed under the conjoint authority of the Defence minister, the Environmental minister, the Industry minister and the Health and Research minister.

The IRSN gathers more than 1 500 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 competents on nuclear safety, radioactive protection and control of nuclear and sensitive materials.

The IRSN realize investigations, expertises and studies on the fields of nuclear safety, protection against ionizing radiation, protection and control of nuclear material, and protection against voluntary ill-advised acts.