Op-Ed by Richard Blais, Vice President of Prevention, WorkSafeNB
As the cold winter months settle in and we spend more time indoors, we need to be especially mindful of what we’re breathing in at work and at home. November is both Lung Cancer Awareness Month and Radon Awareness Month, providing a timely reminder that an invisible threat may be present in many New Brunswick workplaces—radon gas.
Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that seeps into buildings through from the ground. It’s odourless, tasteless, and invisible, but long-term exposure to high levels of radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers in Canada. In fact, radon-related lung cancer claims the lives of more than 3,000 Canadians every year.
While most of us associate radon with homes, workplaces are not immune. Buildings with direct contact with the soil—offices, warehouses, and even schools—can all potentially trap radon. In New Brunswick, nearly a quarter of homes were found to have radon concentrations exceeding Health Canada’s guidelines.
Testing for radon is the only way to know if it is present at dangerous levels in your workplace. Radon levels can vary from day to day and season to season, often being highest in winter when buildings are sealed tightly against the cold, trapping more gas inside. This is why November is the perfect time to start testing for radon – in your home and in your workplace.
Testing is straightforward and inexpensive, and you have options. Many new digital radon detectors are available, providing an indication of radon levels within minutes or hours. However, because radon fluctuates naturally, it’s crucial to perform a long-term test over three months to get an accurate annual average. A small investment in radon testing can prevent the health risks of long-term exposure.
WorkSafeNB’s Prevention team is committed to improving workplace safety across the province. That includes promoting awareness of the risks posed by environmental hazards like radon. We work with businesses and organizations to ensure their workers are protected from risks of occupational illnesses and injuries, and radon exposure is no exception.
If you manage or own a business, now is the time to act. By testing for radon and, if necessary, taking corrective measures such as improving ventilation or sealing entry points, you can ensure a healthier workplace for your employees. And if you haven’t tested in the past few years, it’s worth doing it again. Changes to the building, such as renovations or even shifts in the surrounding environment, can impact radon levels.
Our job at WorkSafeNB is to help New Brunswickers stay safe and healthy at work. Taking the simple step to test your workplace for radon gas aligns with our shared goal of preventing illness before it happens. Let’s use this Radon Awareness Month as an opportunity to make every workplace safer, healthier, and radon-free. Together, we are making New Brunswick the safest place to work.
Richard Blais
Vice President of Prevention, WorkSafeNB
Richard Blais is the Vice President of Prevention at WorkSafeNB, where he leads a team dedicated to improving workplace safety and preventing occupational illnesses and injuries. With an honours degree in chemistry, a master’s in industrial hygiene, and more than 40 years of experience, Richard is a certified industrial hygienist with both the American and Canadian boards. He has been with WorkSafeNB since 1996, serving in various leadership roles, and is passionate about fostering safer workplaces across New Brunswick.