DS519 - Protection of Workers against Exposure due to Radon

The proposed Safety Guide will cover responsibilities of the government, regulatory body and/or other competent authorities, employers, licensees and/or registrants, service providers and workers exposed to radon in existing and planned exposure situations.

The Safety Guide will cover protection of workers against exposure due to radon in all different types of workplaces including workplaces in above ground buildings (e.g. offices, shops, industrial facilities), underground workplaces (e.g. mines, excavations works, tunnels, storages), as well as, within industries involving NORM that results in occupational exposure to radon. Protection of the public entering workplaces with radon exposure will be addressed.

The scope of the proposed SSG would be limited to the exposure due to radon, because the other exposure pathways are covered in GSG-7 occupational exposure due to natural sources of radiation, and due to the specific nature of radon regarding its occurrence in various types of workplaces, as well as, its characteristics as a particular exposure pathway affecting the arrangements needed for appropriate worker protection. These are addressed through the specific safety reports for different industrial activities involving NORM. Details on specific methods of radon prevention and remediation are outside the scope of this Safety Guide.

Exposure to thoron in workplaces will be addressed, but limited.