In the latest issue of Air Quality News Magazine, Rebecca Coates from the UK Radon Association wrote about the risks of radon: what it is, where it’s likely to be found and the legal obligation on bus9inesses and landlords to ensure their premises do not present a health risk.
In this article Rebecca wears her cap an the founder of radon testing and mitigation specialists PropertECO to provide an insight into the process of testing for and reducing harmful radon emissions, using a case study from a school in Yorkshire that engaged her company for advice on radon testing across their premises and several residential homes.
On being appointed, we reviewed our client’s building plans and made a recommendation to install 240 passive radon detectors across the sites. The school opted to self-place the detectors, which remained in place for a three-month exposure period to obtain reliable radon measurements.
After the testing period, the detectors were returned for analysis and the results showed 12 areas within the school exceeded the workplace compliance threshold of 300 Bq/m³, with the highest reaching 500 Bq/m³. Six areas also surpassed the residential action level of 200 Bq/m³, as recommended by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
At that stage, we visited the school to survey the affected areas, which included some challenging basement layouts. We determined that a combination of radon sumps (pictured above) and Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) systems would be effective, with 15 systems required. Careful consideration was given to the integration of pipework and grilles to match existing rainwater goods. RadonAway RP145i fans, known for their compact and quiet performance, were selected for the sumps. We organised our team to install these mitigating systems over three days during the Christmas holidays, so as to ensure minimal disruption to the school and its users.
Post-mitigation testing showed excellent results. Radon levels in most affected areas were reduced to below 100 Bq/m³. For example, the admin office dropped from 468 Bq/m³ to just 4 Bq/m³. Our company have remained involved with our client after these works were completed, continuing to provide advice on maintenance and re-testing procedures. An ongoing relationship and regular re-testing will ensure radon levels remain safe, providing a secure learning environment.
A great deal of our work is helping schools, local government institutions and businesses by assessing the presence of radon in their buildings, and as radon levels can fluctuate we have long term relationships to ensure that testing and mitigation is done in a sustainable way.
The importance of ensuring that buildings adhere to guidelines and are effective in protecting a building’s users from harmful levels of radon cannot be understated. As awareness grows regarding the potentially life-threatening illnesses caused by it, and the fines and sanctions imposed for breaching those thresholds, I would encourage every household, business and institution to take a proactive approach to protecting against radon.
The aforementioned article can be read on pages 30-31