During a surprise inspection at a pharmaceutical plant, the Classified Facilities inspection authority noted that technicians were not complying with safety guidelines guaranteeing their radioprotection in the case of an incident when recharging radioactive sources. Such sources, implemented to sterilise medical accessories, were placed in 2 metal frames or holders at the bottom of a pool and in a safe position during the recharging operation. Sources were handled with poles, equipped at one end with a small chain to avoid any uncontrolled rise to within 3.5 m of the pool surface. During the follow-up visit held on December 9th, 2009, the inspector observed the same safety shortcomings and procedural noncompliance. According to the operator, the safety device was not being used given that its encumbrance impeded pole handling. The operator agreed on January 15th, 2010 to respect the conditions laid out in its guidelines and declared that the event had no consequences for personnel or the environment. Nonetheless, a Class 1 rating was issued on the INES scale due to the potential consequences of an individual’s exposure to ionising radiation and noncompliance with the safety manual.