Inverness Justice Centre to be tested further after heightened cancer-causing radon gas levels detected, states Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service memo
Further tests are being carried out after heightened levels of a cancer-causing gas were discovered in Inverness Justice Centre.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas found in rocks and soils across all parts of the UK to varying degrees.
A leaked memo seen by Highland News & Media states monitoring at the city’s justice centre has revealed heightened levels of radon in two isolated areas - the Victim Support Scotland (VSS) staff office and a storage cupboard in the custody area.
Precautionary measures have been taken, asking staff not to use the office and the storage cupboard as talks take place with specialists to consider what action is required to reduce the levels of radon.
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The £24 million Inverness Justice Centre opened in the city's Longman area in March 2020.
The memo from Ruth Thomson, Sheriff Clerk with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, states that Inverness is an area where radon occurs in higher quantities and following monitoring by radon monitoring company, Bureau Veritas, heightened levels of radon had been found in the two isolated parts of the Inverness Justice Centre.
It states: “Although the heightened reading levels allow people to operate within the VSS office and storage cupboard for a limited amount of time each day, we consider the safety of those who use our building to be of paramount importance and we have taken the precautionary measure of requesting that VSS staff do not occupy their office and instead relocate to another part of the building meantime.
“We have placed a notice and occupancy log on the affected office for use should anyone be required to enter for any reason. The storage room is now no longer used.”
All other areas tested found radon levels to be at normal acceptable levels.
The memo continues: “We are now following all the recommended actions taken by the radiation protection advisor and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been advised.
“In addition, we are also now taking steps to carry out further testing and are in dialogue with radon and building specialists to consider what actions now requires to be taken to reduce the level of radon to normal levels allowing the two locations of the building affected to be utilised again as soon as safe to do so.
“All those working in the building will be kept fully informed and there will be an opportunity for all court users to be updated and ask questions at meetings being arranged at the Justice Centre for later this week.”
