Exposure
to radon has been a major health hazard in uranium mines. Radiological safety
aspects of the mine workers are adequately addressed in ICRP/IAEA/WHO
documents. The issues are discussed in detail in the reference book on
Radiological Protection and Safety - A Practitioner’s Guide.
Radon is also
found airborne in homes, particularly in dwellings of cold countries, like
United States and Canada where the air in the dwellings and work areas is
recirculated.
Radon comes
from the radioactive decay of natural of uranium/radium present in trace
quantities in bricks, soil, rock, and water. Being gaseous, it gets into the
air you breathe. Basement areas are more radon prone due to exhalation of
radon from the floor and walls. Radon typically moves up through the
basement/ground to the air above and into your living areas through cracks and
other cavities in the foundation. There is a guide “Home Buyers and Sellers
Guide to Radon” by US EPA (www.epa.gov) which covers all the radon related issues.
