Radon in the workplace

Employers are required by the Management of Health and Safety Regulations at Work Act 1999, to assess risks from radon in workplaces in Affected Areas.

This usually requires a measurement. The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 require action to protect employees if the average radon gas concentration exceeds 400 Bq m-3 (becquerels per cubic metre of air).

Breathing in radon is the second largest cause of lung cancer in the UK resulting in up to 2000 fatal cancers per year. However radon hazards are simple and cheap to measure and relatively easy to address if levels are high. Under UK regulations all employers must review the potential radon hazard in their premises.

» Please review:  www.HSE.gov.uk

RPW Radon Wales offer a routine radon monitoring service for employers. This includes processing, a written report of the results and brief advice. Between two and ten monitors are usually sufficient for all but the largest premises. Measurements should normally be conducted over three months.

Monitors can either be sent to the employer by post with instructions for placement, and then posted back for processing and reporting, or we offer a full installation service.

Who needs to test for Radon gas?

All employers must review the potential radon hazard in their premises.

Radon Gas Monitors

There are no types of indoor ground floor workplace in which the radon can assumed always to be low because of ventilation or working conditions. It is not, however, generally necessary to measure above the ground floor. The number of monitors required for each building depends on the workplace type and use.

Contact RPW Radon Wales by telephoning 01994 231 850