Since DRACE GEOCISA's UTPR was first licensed as a radiological protection technical unit in 1989, it has always been linked to the radiochemistry lab in terms of its technical and human resources. Although for some years the UTPR focused on quality controls for X-ray equipment, the licence has since been modified in order to adapt it to new activities.
The UTPR's current licence maintains the scope of radiological-protection services at industrial facilities but has altered the scope of hospital services to nuclear, adapting it for the activities that the lab has been involved in regarding dismantling projects at nuclear facilities.
Today, the UTPR is staffed by experts in radiological protection, attached to the radiological-protection services for past and present dismantling projects in the fields of declassification of materials, instruments, laboratory work and sampling. The UTPR's other two main areas of action are:
- Surveillance programmes at impacted sites: consisting of deep measures (radiological testing with prototype measuring equipment developed by DRACE GEOCISA, and sampling for radiochemical analysis at the laboratory.
- Site-release projects: consisting of surface measures with prototype measuring equipment developed by DRACE GEOCISA, and sampling for radiochemical analysis at the laboratory.
Integrating the UTPR into DRACE GEOCISA's radiochemistry lab has enabled us to provide a full service in projects for the radiological surveillance of sites, optimising resources and the turnaround times for carrying out programmes. The presence there of personnel with more than 20 years' experience makes it a highly qualified, specialised facility.