MALB_2014 with 1-21 Revisions

ANSI/AARST MALB-2014 (with 1/21 revisions) Introduction i MALB 2014 rev.1-21 Protocol for Conducting Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products in Schools and Large Buildings Scope Summary and Introduction This standard of practice specifies procedures and minimum requirements when measuring radon concentrations in shared structures, or portions of shared structures, used for residential, non-residential or mixed use purposes 1 to determine if radon mitigation is necessary to protect current and future occupants. These protocols address low-rise and high-rise structures and procedures for testing whole buildings but also for testing only one or several individual rooms or dwellings within a shared building. 1/21 Revisions for 2021 This publication improves and harmonizes provisions to read the same in ANSI/AARSTMAMF and ANSI/AARSTMALB. The attached Companion Guidance includes an Introduction to Radon and Guidance for Building Managers . While recommended for immediate use, the effective date of this standard for compliance purposes is Sept. 1 st , 2021. Purpose Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the general population. 2 Radon in U.S. homes causes approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. 3 This risk is largely preventable. Most people receive their greatest exposure to radon in their home dwellings. Radon concentrations in ground-contact apartments have been found to be similar to those in low-rise residential buildings located in the same area. 4 Be it at home, work or school, an individual’s exposure to radon gas combines over time to increase the risk of preventable lung cancer. Historical Perspective In the 1950s, studies confirmed increased incidence of radon-induced lung cancer for workers in underground mines. In the 1980s, studies found that exposure to radon in homes can exceed exposures found for mine workers. This discovery resulted in the Indoor Radon Abatement Act (1988) that authorized U.S. state and federal activities to reduce citizen risk of lung cancer caused by indoor radon concentrations. Since 1988, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the U.S. Surgeon General have recommended that all homes be tested for radon. Since the early 1990s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has advised all U.S. schools to test for radon and to reduce levels to below 4 pCi/L. In 1999, with publication of the BEIR VI 2 study, the National Academy of Science confirmed that any exposure to radiation, including any concentration of radon, carries risk. In 2009, the World Health Organization’s “WHO Handbook on Indoor Radon” confirmed the association between indoor radon exposure and lung cancer, even at the relatively low radon concentrations found in residential buildings. 1 Designation of the standard: MALB As used for catalogue identification, “MALB” stands for Measurement of Air in Schools and Large Buildings. Normative References ANSI/AARST MS-QA “Radon Measurement Systems Quality Assurance” In regards to conducting radon decay product (RDP) measurements, ANSI/AARST MAH “ Protocol for Conducting Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products in Homes” 1 As point of reference, see the International Building Code (IBC) as published by the International Code Council. 2 World Health Organization, “WHO Handbook on Indoor Radon: A Public Health Perspective” 2009 3 National Academy of Sciences, “Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation” (BEIR VI Report) 1999 4 Swedish Radiation Protection Authority, “Radon in Estonia Dwellings, Stockholm” 2003; and Valmari, T, Arvela, T and Reisbacka, “Radon in Finnish Apartment Buildings, Radiation Protection Dosimetry” 2012