Healthy and Safe Schools: Radon

Updated: 08.24.2023

Radon Testing Plan

The Healthy and Safe Schools (HASS) Plan promotes transparency around how radon is addressed by school districts, ESDs, and charter schools which includes a Radon Testing Plan and posting Radon tests results. Radon is clear, odorless, radioactive gas that can be extremely harmful to people. Radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. To reduce student and staff exposure to radon, Oregon law requires school districts to test for elevated levels of radon once every ten years. Suggested times, for retesting, in addition to that required under ORS 332.341-345, are as follows:

1. Current national guidelines (ANSI/AARST, 2014) recommend that school buildings be re-tested every five years.
2. If radon mitigation measures have been implemented in a school, retest these systems as a periodic check to ensure that the radon mitigation measures are working. EPA does not provide a specific interval, but OHA recommends that schools with radon mitigation measures retest every 5 years.
3. Retest after major renovations to the structure of a school building or after major alterations to a school's HVAC system.
4. If major renovations to the structure of a school building or major alterations to a school's HVAC system are planned, retest the school before initiating the renovation. If elevated radon is present, radon-resistant techniques can be included as part of the renovation.

For questions please contact the radon program at the Oregon Heath Authority.

Useful Resources

• Environmental Protection Agency’s Radon in Schools webpage
• Oregon Health Authority’s Testing Schools for Radon website
• OHA’s Testing for Elevated Radon in Oregon Schools Protocol PDF - Coming soon
  
• OHA Model Radon Plan - Coming soon
  
• Radon and Lung Cancer Risk Summary
  

Radon Test Results

Results from radon testing must be published within ten business days of receiving results. Results must be published in all of the following ways:

• Posted to your website
• Sent electronically to staff, students, parents of minor students, and other community members for whom you have email addresses
• In print form, available to the public in your main office
• Sent to the District School’s Board
• Sent to the Oregon Healthy Authority

Schools are required to publish results in a format that is easy for parents and community members to read and understand. Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has provided an Excel template that can be used for reporting radon test results. There also is a completed template example for a guide.

• Radon Test Results Summary Template - Updated 9.5.2023
  
• Radon Test Results Summary Example - Updated 9.5.2023
  

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