Possible health violation?

Question

I work in a lab which deals with Radon Gas. Radon gas decomposes into radioactive solids which readily adhear to dust particles and the like. This lab was not being used for at least 2-3 years before I got involved. We have a radon monitor which gives an estimate of current radon levels. When I first started the radon levels were around 18 or 19 pCi/Liter. Which is about 5 times the acceptable level. Well I adjusted the exhaust tubing so that it expells the gas outside now, so it harms noone. However, during these 2-3 years before I was involved everyone on this floor was likely exposed to this gas and its daughter particles. Should I say something even though I have no proof to back up my claims? It may very well be that much of the dust in this lab is laden with radioactive particles. What do you guys/gals think about this?

I work at a University. I can make these claims but if I cant prove them, I may just lose my job. I will, at least, mention this to my supervising professor, but he will likely not believe me or tell me not to worry about it. I dont even have my bachellors yet, so most will take my claims with skepticism anyway. I look at this as a lose/lose situation for me. But I will try to do the "right" thing.

Answer 1

According to the EPA, with lifetime exposure to 8pCi/Liter, 71 out of 1000 people would get cancer. Twice this concentration would likely be much worse, but considering people are only exposed to it for several hours a day for at most 3 years (as opposed to a persons entire life), I would say there is less than a 1% chance that even a single person who had been working there will have any medical problems related to the exposure. I'd talk to your supervisor, but I wouldn't make a fuss about it, especially now that the problem appears to be fixed.

Answer 2

Ask yourself... for what purpose should you tell the others? So they can get checked by a doctor? for what? or some other reason?

Since you don't have any proof, as you say, meaning that it would have to stand up in a court of law. I wouldn't go telling everyone in the office.

Now, if you are concerned about Radon-laced dust and daughter-laced dust around the lab, you CAN take that to your immediate supervisors, or your radiological safety 'officer' and tell them what you have stated, here. If they are doing their jobs correctly they should get some testing done on the lab, and possibly get an exhaust scrubber.

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Answer 3

If you turn the exhaust fan off, do you still get a dangerous reading?
Surely you can prove that you are the one who installed the fan.
Also,, can you get in contact with anyone who was working with you before the correction was made? Can you remember their names?
What symptoms are you experiencing?
Has anyone else become sick?
If you have a couple other people who give the "right" answers, you probably have a case.
On the other hand, the whistle blower tends to get picked on, I would be very discrete, and contact a lawyer who is ready to file papers and bring a case against your employer before they get "wind" of your potential "threat" and "easy money" idea.

Answer 4

I think you have the responsibility to report anything that is threatening to your co-workers to your employer by ethics. If your employer is a good one, they will appreciate your concern and try to do the right thing and see to it that no one was harmed and that no one in the future is harmed. You have to look at it the other way around if you were one of those people working there and had never known, wouldn't you have wanted to known so you could do something about it?

Answer 5

An anonymous tip to the local health department might be in order.

Answer 6

Ethically, you must mention this to the supervising professor.
At the least, you will learn something. He's there to teach.