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Evaluation of Exposure to Radon and Radon Progeny in an Underground Tourist Cavern and Its Connected Buildings
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2019/05/01
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Source: Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HHE 2014-0158-3345, 2019 May; :1-33
[PDF-2.02 MB]
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Alternative Title:Health Hazard Evaluation Report: Evaluation of Exposure to Radon and Radon Progeny in an Underground Tourist Cavern and Its Connected Buildings: HHE 2014-0158-3345
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Description:The Health Hazard Evaluation Program received a request from the U.S. National Park Service because of concerns about potential exposures to radon and radon decay products at a tourist cave and a connected building. We visited the park four times to assess radon concentrations in different seasons. During our visits, we met with employer and employee representatives, measured employees' exposures to radon and radon decay products, modeled employee exposures to ionizing radiation and compared them to occupational dose limits, and evaluated ventilation within the visitor's center. Radon gas concentrations measured in the visitor's center were below the OSHA PEL. Tracer gas measurements indicated that radon was entering the visitor's center through the elevator shafts that attach it to the main cavern below. Modifications of the building ventilation system, to prevent the entry and mixing of cavern air with air from the visitor's center, should reduce radon levels. Radon concentrations measured inside the main cavern were also below the OSHA PEL. However, employees working in the cavern have the potential to exceed the OSHA whole body ionizing radiation dose limits, depending upon the time spent in the cave. We recommended using airlocks to isolate the main cavern elevators from the rest of the visitor's center, creating and implementing a radon management program, tracking the number of hours employees work inside the cavern, and educating employees on the risks of radon and ionizing radiation.
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Pages in Document:1-33; 40 pdf pages
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Contributor:Watts, Shawna;Oza, Aalok;Hoover, Mark;Grant, Michael P.;Daniels, Doug;Booher, Donald;Moore, Kevin;
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NIOSHTIC Number:20055987
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NTIS Accession Number:PB2019-101112
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Citation:NIOSH [2019]. Exposure to radon and radon progeny in an underground tourist cavern and its connected buildings. By Zwack LM, Brueck SE, Anderson JL, Hammond DR. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2014-0158-3345. https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE201401583345
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Federal Fiscal Year:2019
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Peer Reviewed:False
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Resource Number:HHE-2014-0158-3345
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