Control of radon in the workplace

Policy and local rules

Policy3

Introduction4

Legislation4

Responsible persons4

Monitoring7

Control of exposure8

Mitigation8

Test protocols9

Detector management11

POLICY

Policy

  1. It is the policy of Cornwall Council to comply with the requirements of the Ionising Radiation Regulations (1999) (IRR) and assume the role of radiation employer, in accordance with regulation 2(1), where it has been identified that workplace atmosphere’s containing radon 222 exceed those concentrations given in regulation 3(1)(b).
  2. In accordance with the legislation the Council takes upon itself to:

• Appoint a radiation protection advisor

• Assess and monitor the risks

• Protect and inform employees

• Reduce or manage doses

  1. Implementation of this policy is established through the Council’s local rules (regulation 17(1)) and operational procedures.
  2. Those parties fulfilling the statutory duties in accordance with the interpretation provided in the IRR (regulation 2(1)) are:

• Radiation employer: Chief Executive, Cornwall Council, County Hall, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3AY

• Radiation protection supervisor (RPS): Soils and Materials Engineer, Engineering Services Laboratory, Radnor Road, Scorrier, Redruth, TR16 5EH

• Radiation protection advisor (RPA): Radiation Protection Division, Health Protection Agency, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ

LOCAL RULES

Introduction

  1. This document forms the local rules, in accordance with regulation 17(1) of the IRR (1999), describing the Council’s protocols and procedures for complying with its policy for controlling the levels of radon within its properties.

Legislation

Current legislation

  1. Exposure to radon will be controlled within council properties in order to conform to the Health and Safety at Work Act and the IRR.
  2. The regulations shall apply to any workplace which exceeds those levels cited in the IRR 3(1) (b), which states that “any work (other than a practice) carried out in an atmosphere containing radon 222 gas at a concentration in air, averaged over any 24 hour period, exceeding 400 Bq m-3 except where the concentration of the short-lived daughters of radon 222 in air averaged over any 8 hour working period does not exceed 6.24 x 10-7J m-3”.

Monitoring changes to legislation

  1. Both the health, safety and wellbeing manager and the RPS are responsible for the continual monitoring of any changes to UK legislation and current good practice. This will be done through regular contact with the Health and Safety Executive, the radiation protection advisor, internet access, purchase of relevant publications/journals and attendance of training/refresher courses.

Dissemination of information

  1. Relevant council staff will be notified of any changes to the radon legislation and approved code of practice(s) through the provision of staff training, articles in council newsletters and intranet site and the cascading of information from senior council officers to their subordinates.

Responsible persons

General

  1. This document identifies the responsibilities of both individuals and sections within the Council in compliance with the IRR. It covers the duties relating to all aspects of the statutory instrument, with specific reference to controlling the levels of radon within its properties as a radiation employer in accordance with regulation 2(1).

Statutory responsibilities

  1. RPA; the radiation employer shall employ the Health Protection Agency – Radiation Protection Division (HPA) as its statutory radiation RPA in accordance with IRR regulation 13.
  2. RPS; in accordance with IRR regulation 17(4) the head of the Council’s engineering services laboratory (the soils and materials engineer) shall be appointed as the Council’s RPS, for the purposes of controlling radon in the workplace by the radiation employer.

Managerial and operational responsibilities

  1. Based on the IRR the following managerial and operational responsibilities are assigned.
  2. The head of property is responsible for:

• Ensuring compliance with the requirements of current IRR and the Council’s radon policy and local rules

• Ensuring adequate steps are taken to identify those areas in council properties where the IRR apply

• Ensuring risk assessments are carried out wherever stated radon levels are exceeded.

• Ensuring appropriate mitigation measures are taken to reduce radon levels below the accepted threshold

• Ensuring that an ongoing monitoring programme is maintained within all of its susceptible properties

• Ensuring that the Council’s radon database is maintained and updated

• Ensuring that the private finance initiative (PFI) provider complies with the IRR where appropriate

• Ensuring that adequate resources are made available for the implementation of the duty

• Ensuring that any new property procured on behalf of the Council is surveyed and appropriate actions taken to comply with the IRR

• Ensuring that all new construction(s) complies with the IRR and relevant sections of the building regulations that relate to radon mitigation

  1. The policy and training manager is responsible for:

• Following IRR and the Council’s radon policy and local rules

• Appointment of the RPA and RPS

• Implementing an appropriate testing, monitoring and mitigation regime for all susceptible council properties

• Maintaining the Council’s radon database

• Organising a regular audit of the Council’s radon database and reporting to the corporate director for resources

• Undertaking a regular review of procedures

  1. The construction services manager is responsible for:

• Following IRR and the Council’s radon policy and local rules

• Managing the Council’s financial radon budget

• The design, construction and supervision of radon mitigation measures in conjunction with the RPS and RPA

• Maintaining, updating and replacing existing radon mitigation measures as appropriate

  1. The health, safety and wellbeing manager is responsible for:

• Following IRR and the Council’s radon policy and local rules

• Ensuring that all aspects of the managing of radon is performed in a practical and safe manner and that all the current health and safety legislation is adhered to

• Monitoring the performance of the Council’s radon policy and procedures

• Liaising with the RPA and Health and Safety Executive on all matters relating to radon

• Monitoring for changes/amendments to the current legislation and disseminating the information to all relevant parties

• Auditing the PFI provider(s) to ensure their compliance with the current IRR

  1. The soils and materials engineer is responsible for:

• Following IRR and the Council’s radon policy and local rules

• Acting as RPS on behalf of the radiation employer

• Liaising with the RPA on all matters relating to radon

• Organising the routine radon testing and monitoring programme

• Managing, updating and reporting on the Council’s radon database

• Notifying the corporate maintenance manager of areas requiring mitigation measures

  1. The private finance initiative (PFI) provider is responsible for:

• Complying with the IRR, approved codes of practice, appropriate building regulations and implementing the radon monitoring protocol as described in the project agreement

Provision of information

  1. Where employees or visitors may be exposed to workplace atmosphere’s containing radon 222 that exceed those concentrations given in regulation 3(1) (b); they shall be informed of the hazard by the radiation employer who shall provide support and guidance where appropriate.
  2. Information shall be provided either by personal communication, articles in council newsletters and intranet site and the cascading of information from senior council officers to their subordinates.

Monitoring

Methodology

  1. Monitoring will be conducted on all council properties located within areas identified as having potentially high radon levels, as presented in the HPA document ‘Indicative Atlas of Radon in England and Wales Report No.HPA-RPD-033 (Radon Atlas)’.
  2. A prioritised programme of monitoring shall be devised through a series of risk assessments using an algorithm based on the radon atlas; evaluating the potential for a property to contain elevated levels of radon and its level of occupancy.
  3. The monitoring for radon shall be achieved by taking passive measurements using CR-39 etch-track detectors following the protocols contained in the test protocols.
  4. The frequency of testing will be:

Frequency of testing
Test type / Purpose / Protocol
Initial / To identify premises with radon levels >400 Bqm-3 / Three month passive
Interim / To monitor exposures in premises with radon levels
>400 Bqm-3 / Two month continuous without interruptions
Mitigation check / Check that mitigation has reduced radon below 400 Bqm-3 / First full two month period of interim series after completion of mitigation works
Periodic / Check that mitigation remains effective over the long term / Three month passive, biennially
Radiation area / To monitor levels in premises or locations that are not to be mitigated / Three month passive annually
  1. All testing and monitoring will be conducted by the engineering services laboratory (ESL) under the supervision of the RPS.

Action levels

  1. Action levels for mitigation in the workplace are as follows:

Action levels
Occupancy
(hours per year) / Action Level
(Bqm-3)
>2000 / 200
≤2000 / 400
  1. In residential units, mitigation will be carried out where the 45%/55% average lounge/master bedroom level exceeds 200 Bqm-3.
  2. In premises with a variety of uses, mitigation will be carried out when the lowest appropriate level has been exceeded.

Control of exposure

  1. Where areas have been identified as exceeding the action level through testing and monitoring the RPS shall assess the situation and determine the most appropriate action required to restrict personal exposure for the occupants of the building.
  2. Where a mitigation system is in place or its installation appropriate, the construction services manager will be immediately notified by ESL. In collaboration with the RPA, he shall design an appropriate remediation system and oversee its installation.
  3. Where it is deemed impractical to reduce radon concentrations through mitigation methods, the RPS shall place a restriction on the length of occupancy of the relevant room(s) to ensure that individual personnel do not exceed a dose limit in excess of 1 millisievert per year.

Mitigation

Mitigation design and installation

  1. The choice of mitigation systems will rest primarily on its ability to reduce radon concentrations to below the appropriate action level.
  2. Within limits of practicability and expense the system shall be designed to reduce radon concentrations to a level as low as reasonably achievable.

Records and testing

  1. The construction services manager shall arrange for details of the system to be recorded on the Council’s central property database and a planned inspection and maintenance regime put in place.
  2. Once the installation is complete post mitigation testing will be conducted to monitor the effectiveness of the system in accordance with the testing protocol.

Maintenance

  1. The contractor’s work associated with all systems will be the subject of regular inspection by the contract manager.
  2. The fans and electrical installations associated with systems will form part of the regular electrical and mechanical maintenance programme by the mechanical and electrical section.
  3. In all buildings where systems are fitted, written instructions will be issued to the officer in charge which will set out the following:

• Periodic checks to ensure continued operation of the system

• Periodic checks to ensure no obvious damage to the system

• Contact arrangements/telephone number(s) for repairs, enquiries etc

Reporting

  1. The RPS will provide an annual status report to the head of property which will include the latest test results, plus an update of the property history, system maintenance reports and recommendations for additional mitigation.

Test protocols

General

  1. All individual detectors will be placed away from major sources of heating and ventilation.
  2. Testing will be conducted in the winter months with detectors placed no earlier than the beginning of September and retrieved no later than the end of April unless the property is on a continuously monitored programme (interim testing) or post mitigation testing.
  3. Detectors will be placed for a nominal period of three months.

Initial test protocol for occupational premises

  1. A minimum of two detectors will be placed in each building (however small) to avoid the problems associated with unsupported single measurements.
  2. In the case of a number of buildings of similar layout, as far as is practicable the detectors will be placed in the same corresponding positions in each building.
  3. The major spaces chosen for testing will be those regularly used by the largest number of people; particular emphasis will be given to areas to which members of the public have access.
  4. Under no circumstances will a single detector cover a floor area greater than 250m2 (the largest area found by experience capable of being drained by a single sump mitigation system in the majority of cases). The preferred maximum area per detector will be 100m2.
  5. Additional detectors will be placed in areas of potentially higher concentration such as basements, stores and boiler rooms; particular emphasis will be given to areas used by a few individuals for long periods.

Initial test protocol for residential premises

  1. Two detectors will be placed in each residential unit regardless of the size of the unit.
  2. The detectors will be placed in each unit of residential accommodation as follows:

• One in the main living area

• One in the master bedroom

  1. A single average figure for the residential unit as a whole will be obtained by adding 45% of the main living area value to 55% of the result from the master bedroom. A seasonal correction factor will be applied to the single figure to obtain a year long average.

Post mitigation test protocol

  1. Post mitigation tests will be arranged to mirror, as far as possible, the corresponding initial tests.
  2. In addition to the original test locations, further test locations may be included to ensure that all parts of that property are below the appropriate action level.
  3. Tests of less than three months duration or outside the winter months will only be carried out in exceptional circumstances. Results from these tests will be treated as indicative only and the tests repeated to the standard protocol at the earliest opportunity.

Re-test protocol

  1. Repeat tests will be carried out as far as possible in a different season to the previous test.
  2. At least 50% of detectors will be placed in the same positions as in the previous test (s).
  3. The interval between re tests in properties with mitigation systems will remain fixed.
  4. The interval between re tests of borderline properties may be increased if repeat measurements remain below the appropriate action level.

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

Detector management

Handling

  1. Orders for detection will be placed preferably three months in advance of the anticipated delivery date and no later than one month before.
  2. Care will be taken to ensure that standing times between delivery and placement and retrieval and return for processing are kept as short as possible to minimise errors in results.
  3. Care will be taken to ensure that the detectors are kept in areas of potentially low radon concentration during standing times.

Placement

  1. With the exception of individual dwelling units, whose detector placements positions are fixed, two copies of the appropriate floor plan(s) will be sent to those placing the detectors.
  2. The plans will be annotated by the RPS with the following information:

• A unique reference number for each block

• A unique reference number for each room/space in each block

• A date for the approximate commencement of the round of testing

• The rooms/spaces where detectors are to be placed market/numbered

  1. The officer placing the detectors will annotate the plans as follows:

• The exact position where each detector has been placed marked with a cross

• The number of the detectors entered in beside the cross

  1. For each premises, two copies of a standard form will be completed by the officer placing the detectors with the following information:

• Job title and reference

• Block number

• Room number

• Detector number

• Exact location to allow easy retrieval (if required)

• Exact date of placement

• Signature/initials of placing officer

  1. The standard forms will be completed by the officer retrieving the detectors with the following information:

• Exact date of retrieval

• Signature/initials of retrieving officer

• Additional notes such as “detector missing”, as required

  1. Both copies of the drawings and the forms will be returned with the detectors.
  2. Both copies of each drawing and one copy of each form will be kept as hard copy files.
  3. A single copy of each form will be sent off with the detectors.

Prepared by:

Richard Hocking

Soils and Materials Engineer

Engineering Services Laboratory

4 August 2011

If you would like this information
in another format please contact:

Cornwall Council
County Hall
Treyew Road
Truro TR1 3AY

Telephone: 0300 1234 100

Email:

www.cornwall.gov.uk

Control of radon in the workplace Policy and local rules1

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