MANAGEMENT
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Radon - Identifying risks,
protecting people
Health and safety implementations are imperative when managing commercial property and the staff within.
Radon is a serious matter to take into account as D. W. Dixon of the HPA investigates…
Radon is a radioactive gas produced by the decay of
uranium that occurs in all rocks and soils. It seeps into
buildings from the ground and can build up to high levels in
some buildings depending on their construction and level
of heating and use. As radon is colourless and odourless,
special monitors are needed to detect it.
It is estimated from recent studies that between
1,000 and 2,000 cases of lung cancer are caused
by indoor radon in the UK each year. The risk for
smokers is particularly high.
Parts of England and Wales with highest levels of
radon are designated by HPA as radon Affected Areas,
as shown in figure 1, where HPA advises occupiers to
test for radon. The figure provides only a guide to radon
potential because full information for the whole country
is too detailed to print. The Affected Area status for an
individual address with a valid postcode can be obtained
for a small fee (£3 plus VAT) from a dedicated website
(UKradon.org) which now also covers Scotland. Users
should note, however, that the website search is only
suitable for premises with any dimension less than about
25m - advice about larger and more complex property
holdings is also available, see below.*
The HPA helps to reduce population risks from radon
by advising on radon survey programmes for many
organisations, including those with large property holdings,
whether residential or occupational. The website provides
the information managers need to develop an appropriate
measurement plan for radon. The article from the Health
and Safety Executive which follows this article provides
information for employers about how to deal with radon.
Tests are conducted with small, passive monitors that
are sent by post and left in place for three months. Two
monitors are normally used in homes but more are required
for large buildings. Monitors are available from the website
above, with detailed guidance on placement. Results are
reported in relation to the relevant action level so property
managers can assess risks and set priorities for action. In
most cases, radon levels will be low so tests can reassure
occupants despite being in an Affected Area.
The highest radon levels occur in South West England,
Derbyshire and Yorkshire, but pockets of radon also
occur in many other parts of the country, so some
organisations will require multiple searches. The website
allows users to set up an account to conduct multiple
or sporadic searches. For organisations with many
properties to check, however, this may not be the most
effective approach. In such cases, HPA can work from a
full address and postcode list to provide a comprehensive
report that enables managers to optimise their test
programme for the types of property concerned.
82 July / August 2009
Top: Radon Affected Areas need to undergo extensive work in order to be restored to a healthy
level; Above: Councils will advise on how to tackle radon pollution; Opposite Page: Figure 1
SPECIAL OFFER:
As an introduction to the HPA radon website UKradon.org,
the special offer voucher code EST0509 can be entered on
the website up until the end of August 2009 to get fifteen
searches conducted at any one time, and only pay for ten.
*For more information:
Advice on radon levels, risks and their
management is available from the
Radon team at HPA, 01235 822792
or on the website radon.org.
To view a Ceros magazine you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser and have the flash player 8 or higher installed. To install the latest flash player, click the icon above, install the flash plugin and then click here to refresh this page.