Alert but Don’t Alarm: Radon Risk Communication Strategies of a UK Mitigator Rebecca Coates propertECO Charleston, South Carolina
Jan 11, 2016
Alert but Don’t Alarm: Radon Risk Communication Strategies of a UK Mitigator
Rebecca CoatespropertECO
Charleston, South Carolina
Building Solutions For A Sustainable Future
•Surveying•Contracting•Consultancy
•Project Management•Design•Training
UK Radon Framework
• Public Health England
• Health & Safety Executive
• Building Research Establishment
Reference Levels
Homes
•Action Level: 200 Bq/m3 ( 5.4 pCi/l)
•Target Level: 100 Bq/m3 ( 2.7 pCi/l)
Workplaces
•Action Level: 400 Bq/m3 ( 10.8 pCi/l)
Radon Awareness in the UK
• Generally quite low amongst public
• Property professionals are often aware, but lack understanding
“I don’t think it is a very good topic for a seminar... Can’t you do something more
relevant?”
“No, it is unlikely that anyone would
attend. It’s not really of interest”
Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
“There are no guidance notes
on radon on our database...
I think the flooding risk is more important
than radon”
Building Code Officials
Targeting Professionals
• Journal articles
• Social Media
• Educational Seminars
Educational Seminars
Educational Seminars
• Information can reach much wider audience
Seminar for RIBAIn-house Seminar x 2
Testing programme for 1000+ properties
Radon message reaches 55,000 employees
General Public
• Frame messages in terms of benefits, not costs
• Provide information relevant to their situation
• Make the risks understandable
Using Other Media
www.youtube.com/user/properteco
More Videos
BFS, Germany
RPII, Ireland
Alert, But Don’t Alarm
Social Media
Target Professionals
SeminarsMake risks
understandable
Use alternative media
Rebecca [email protected]
www.properteco.co.uk