Posted: 6/5/2017 1:39:50 PM EDT
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Work has me in a makeshift office location and the word is there are very high levels of radon present. I'm talking levels approaching 100pCi/L.
A typical house has a mitigation system if levels get above 4pCi/L. Senior mgt knows and laughs it off. Worth a call to OSHA? I'm not interested in lung cancer in 20 yrs. |
Consider it a non monetary work benefit. Some people pay money to be exposed to high levels of radon.
http://radonmine.com/ |
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File a complaint to OSHA as a whistle blower. Document each and every related interaction. Never make any threats. Get copies of all of your company reviews and any disciplinary actions against you. Do your job the best way possible and be an exemplary employee. When the company fires you, sue them.
In case you're wondering, I have no sympathy whatsoever with employers that willfully and knowingly violate workplace safety laws and regulations. |
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OSHA will not mitigate a radon issue where its from a natural source. Possibly a state authority may, Usually radioactive materials (even natural) are under state programs or NRC. If it is from a Technically Enhanced source such as mine tailings from your employer, the authority could ask the employer to mitigate.
If it were under the Occupational purview it may also have to be above an occupational dose or ALARA program - that is doses below 5000 mrem per year and below 500 per gestation period for a pregnant employee - or a reasonable level below that before an employer. Every breath you take anywhere in the world has some levels of radon - it ubiquitous and can't be eliminated and its levels vary with location - hard for any employer to manage which is why regulators are not typically interested or obligated by law to do so. A reasonable employer may measure and mitigate, but not typically. I worked for an employer where I found high levels of radon - when it was traced to being a contributor to microelectronics defects in product they mitigated but not because of occupational dose lowering. If the radon is from poor foundation or creep underneath - it can be mitigated often by a high positive pressure created in the building with good outside air source - |
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Quoted:
OSHA will not mitigate a radon issue where its from a natural source. Possibly a state authority may, Usually radioactive materials (even natural) are under state programs or NRC. If it is from a Technically Enhanced source such as mine tailings from your employer, the authority could ask the employer to mitigate. If it were under the Occupational purview it may also have to be above an occupational dose or ALARA program - that is doses below 5000 mrem per year and below 500 per gestation period for a pregnant employee - or a reasonable level below that before an employer. Every breath you take anywhere in the world has some levels of radon - it ubiquitous and can't be eliminated and its levels vary with location - hard for any employer to manage which is why regulators are not typically interested or obligated by law to do so. A reasonable employer may measure and mitigate, but not typically. I worked for an employer where I found high levels of radon - when it was traced to being a contributor to microelectronics defects in product they mitigated but not because of occupational dose lowering. If the radon is from poor foundation or creep underneath - it can be mitigated often by a high positive pressure created in the building with good outside air source - |
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Quoted:
OSHA will not mitigate a radon issue where its from a natural source. Possibly a state authority may, Usually radioactive materials (even natural) are under state programs or NRC. If it is from a Technically Enhanced source such as mine tailings from your employer, the authority could ask the employer to mitigate. If it were under the Occupational purview it may also have to be above an occupational dose or ALARA program - that is doses below 5000 mrem per year and below 500 per gestation period for a pregnant employee - or a reasonable level below that before an employer. Every breath you take anywhere in the world has some levels of radon - it ubiquitous and can't be eliminated and its levels vary with location - hard for any employer to manage which is why regulators are not typically interested or obligated by law to do so. A reasonable employer may measure and mitigate, but not typically. I worked for an employer where I found high levels of radon - when it was traced to being a contributor to microelectronics defects in product they mitigated but not because of occupational dose lowering. If the radon is from poor foundation or creep underneath - it can be mitigated often by a high positive pressure created in the building with good outside air source - |
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I had the house we bought tested before the sale and it tested high for radon.
Seller had to install radon mitigation system in house. That brought it below the EPA threshold. Radon levels can vary throughout the year. I think winter has the highest levels. You should measure it over the course of a few months for changes and if constantly high go to your safety officer. If they won't do anything about it then OSHA. |
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Quoted:
username is apt. |