{"id":5063,"date":"2023-05-17T21:10:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-18T03:10:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crpa-acrp-bulletin.ca\/?p=5063"},"modified":"2023-05-17T21:24:42","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T03:24:42","slug":"sensibilisation-au-radon-le-pouvoir-de-travailler-ensemble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crpa-acrp-bulletin.ca\/fr\/2023\/05\/17\/sensibilisation-au-radon-le-pouvoir-de-travailler-ensemble\/","title":{"rendered":"Sensibilisation au radon : le pouvoir de travailler ensemble"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In the spirit of \u201cWorking Together,\u201d how can we best support organizations and individuals working to raise radon awareness? As associations that unite professionals with a common interest, both CRPA and the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) know that we\u2019ll get further by forging partnerships, playing to our strengths, and\u2014when it comes to awareness\u2014not giving up! It takes consistent effort over time to see results.<\/p>\n

Recently, CARST has been focusing our radon awareness efforts on the workplace. A recent article in the CRPA Bulletin<\/i> aimed at CRPA professionals (Radon in the Workplace \u2013 Are You Protected?<\/a>)\u00a0asked how many of you knew the status of your own workplaces ; despite your radiation expertise, are you working in a high radon environment and being exposed to unnecessary radiation? This is a question that should be on the minds of those responsible for workplaces across Canada.<\/p>\n

Recently, Health Canada published a series of Radon Action Guides [1]<\/a> for both provinces and municipalities. CARST lost no time in sending letters to each of the provincial and territorial ministers of labour to draw their attention to how they might better protect workers and ask whether they\u2019ve taken the simple first steps of measuring for radon in provincially owned workplaces. The Radon Action Guides identify numerous places where provinces can take advantage of existing policies and guidelines to protect workers from radon, but it will take consistent effort on the part of many radon stakeholders to enact change at the provincial level.<\/p>\n

Of course, the danger posed by radon isn\u2019t limited to workplaces. Every home needs to be tested for radon, no matter the type of home or the prevalence of radon in the region. Community testing programs across the country are routinely proving that more radon testing is needed.<\/p>\n

Take Action on Radon is a national initiative, funded by Health Canada, to bring together radon stakeholders and raise awareness about radon across Canada. Their 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge\u00a0[2]<\/a>\u00a0has now tested almost 100 communities, and the reports<\/a> show that radon in many areas is more prevalent than initial estimates presumed. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of stakeholders across the country, a growing number of communities are now taking radon awareness into their own hands and adding radon information to their websites or distributing free radon test kits every fall. [3]<\/a><\/p>\n

This April, CRPA presented a continuing education course for radon professionals at CARST\u2019s 12th<\/sup> annual radon conference that took a deeper dive into radiation. CARST is looking forward to presenting at CRPA\u2019s conference this May to talk about the work we\u2019ve been doing, specifically the lessons learned and data gleaned from Take Action on Radon\u2019s 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge. Maintaining a dialogue between CRPA and CARST and lending our complementary expertise to groups across the country, is truly the best way to support not only radon awareness, but our members as well.<\/p>\n

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[1] <\/a>In October 2022, Health Canada published a series of radon action guides<\/a>:<\/p>\n