Research and analysis

Radon in workplace basements

This report (PHE-CRCE-028) presents analysis of PHE measurement results and recommendations on when to test.

• From: Public Health England
• Published: 19 July 2016

Documents

Radon in workplace basements: an analysis of PHE measurement results and recommendations on when to test

Ref: ISBN 978-0-85951-787-4, PHE publications gateway number 2016134

PDF, 763 KB, 28 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@phe.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

Radon is a recognised lung carcinogen. Regulations exist in the UK that limit the exposure to radon at work and require employers to take action if levels exceed certain thresholds. As radon levels in individual buildings cannot be predicted, PHE offers a routine measurement service, which has been in operation for around 30 years.

This report uses the pre-mitigation radon results in basements of around 3500 workplaces that have been measured with passive monitors as part of the PHE routine measurement service. The dataset has been analysed with respect to the nature of work undertaken by the employer and by the radon potential of the workplace address. Statistical tests run to assess agreement with lognormality (the distribution typically demonstrated by radon datasets) showed that the data could be used to refine advice to employers on measuring radon in workplace basements.

Published 19 July 2016