Radon: FAQs about testing in Ohio schools

Q. What rooms will be tested?
A. Any room over a basement, slab-on-grade, or crawl space, i.e., all occupied ground-contact rooms will be tested. Exceptions include rest rooms, storage rooms, shower rooms and kitchens.

Q. When is testing conducted?
A. Testing is conducted in the winter when the windows are closed and the heat is on. It is conducted during a 5-day school week, i.e., when students are scheduled to be at school those days and the heating system is operating on a normal occupied daily schedule. We will place test kits on Monday and retrieve them on Friday. (Note: We try to avoid holidays when testing.)

Q. What is asked of the school?
A. We ask that a school employee accompany ODH staff to provide location and access to rooms. The person provides an escort so teachers and students recognize someone who is authorized to be in their rooms.

Q. How is the testing done?
A. ODH staff will request a floor plan of the school before they come to the school to test. Upon arrival at the school, they will meet the escort who will accompany them when placing test kits. Using the floor plan as a guide, the team will identify and locate rooms that should be tested. Test kits will be logged and placed in those rooms.

At the end of the week, the ODH team will return to the school to retrieve the test kits. The kits are mailed by ODH to the laboratory where they are analyzed to determine the radon level recorded on each test kit. The results are sent to ODH where they are reviewed to determine the radon concentrations in various locations in the school. The test results are, then, sent to the school superintendent.

If test results indicate there may be unacceptable levels of radon in one or more rooms, the superintendent of the school will be contacted to arrange a second, confirmatory, radon test for those specific rooms.

Once all second-round test kits have been read by the manufacturer, ODH will recommend appropriate actions to the superintendent.

Q. How can we involve students?
A. Available options include...

1. Providing instruction on the basics of radon as a health issue
    
2. Having students participate in keeping a log of kit numbers, room numbers and placement locations in each room tested
    
3. Having students use a school floor plan to map the results when they become available

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Last Updated: 05/06/2004