Policy Authors:
Dr. Kerry Spicer, Vice President for Student Affairs
Timothy P. Balkin, Interim Vice President for Business Affairs
Responsible Office-Departments:
Facility Services under the direction of the Vice President of Business Affairs
Effective Date of Policy:
February 18, 2025
Purpose of this Policy
To codify Daemen University’s radon testing and remediation program..
Narrative
Daemen University is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all people working at, residing on, and visiting our campus. Radon gas is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in the environment formed by the breakdown of radioactive metals uranium, thorium, and radium in rock formations, and present a potential health risk from long term exposure.
Since radon is a naturally occurring gas with generally low-level exposure, the risk associated with radon comes about when the gas accumulates in an enclosed area such as the basement of a building, house, or other structure. Radon can enter a building through several different points. These include dirt floors, crawl spaces, cracks in concrete floors and walls, floor drains, sumps, joints, and cracks and holes in concrete block walls. As the concentration of the gas rises, the hazards associated with long term exposure increase.
The Western New York area in general, including the Daemen University Amherst Campus, is designated as an EPA Zone 1 (highest) for radon exposure. Daemen will take action to monitor the presence of radon and remediate promptly when testing confirms radon levels exceed the EPA permissible level of 4.0 pCi/L.
Scope and Applicability of this Policy
All Amherst campus buildings, with a principal focus on those with a portion below grade level where people work, or students are present for extended periods.
Procedures for Policy Implementation
Initial Testing
- Test all below grade basement areas where people work/students reside in accordance with EPA protocols.
- Results of testing will be communicated formally via email to all people working or residing in tested areas. Email will be sent by the Cabinet member responsible for the area or their designee. Initial testing of all buildings, residence halls and student apartments will be completed by June 30, 2025.
Finding Radon level in excess of Permissible Limit (4.0 pCi/L)
- In any area testing above the EPA level of 4.0 pCi/L
- Promptly relocate those working/residing in the area.
- Promptly collaborate with a qualified consultant to identify a remediation plan for radon identified.
- Implement remediation plan promptly
- Conduct post radon testing in all locations which tested above the EPA limit.
- Results of testing will be communicated formally via email to all people working and/or residing in tested areas. Email will be sent by the Cabinet member responsible for the area or their designee. The space will be reoccupied when post remediation testing confirms exposure is within acceptable limits.
Ongoing Testing
- All buildings with below grade basement areas will be formally tested once per year. Academic and office buildings which do not have below grade basement areas will be tested ideally every year, but no longer than eighteen months between tests. Residence halls and student apartments, regardless of whether they have below grade basements or not, will be tested once per year.
- Testing times will be flexible and vary, but with the objective that times selected will provide an indication of average radon exposure over a twelve-month period.
- Results of testing will be communicated formally via email to all people working or residing in tested areas. Email will be sent by the Cabinet member responsible for the area or their designee.