Cazdon Labs

Radon · continuous measurement

Working-hours radon measurement

A working-hours radon measurement (in STUK's terms, a continuous radon measurement) is a short measurement over at least seven days that records the radon concentration during working hours - when the space is actually in use. It gives a fast, accurate picture of real exposure when the two-month canister measurement is too slow, or when scheduled ventilation makes the passive result misleading.

When is a continuous measurement the right tool?

The two-month alpha-track canister is the legal baseline, but it isn't always the right instrument for the question in front of you. A continuous measurement fits situations like these:

Property transactions & due diligence

A buyer or investor who wants current, credible evidence of a building's radon situation before closing - on a deal timeline, not a two-month wait.

Landlord and tenant handovers

A quick, verifiable snapshot of the space's radon levels when a lease starts or ends.

After a renovation

Confirm whether new or altered ventilation actually brought the concentration down.

After radon remediation

Verify that a structural fix or ventilation change holds up during real working hours.

Follow-up after a failed canister test

When a passive measurement came in over 300 Bq/m³, a working-hours measurement shows the exposure people actually receive while the space is in use.

How the continuous measurement works

Instead of a passive canister that integrates continuously for two months, a working-hours measurement uses a continuous, electronically-logging instrument placed for at least seven days. It records the radon concentration through the day and separates the hours the space is genuinely in use from nights and weekends. [6] STUK defines a formula that turns those readings into an annual working-hours average - the number that actually reflects occupational exposure. [6]

Why ventilation can distort a canister result

Many workplaces run ventilation only during the day. A passive canister integrates over nights and weekends too, when the ventilation is off and radon builds up, so it can overstate the exposure workers actually receive - a passive result can fail even when the air is fine while people are actually present. [6]

Is it accepted by STUK?

Yes. STUK accepts a continuous working-hours measurement of at least one week, together with its defined formula, as valid evidence of the annual working-hours average. [6] Because of that, a space that failed the two-month passive test can often demonstrate compliance without a structural fix: if the concentration during actual working hours stays below 300 Bq/m³, no remediation is required - and in roughly half of failing workplaces with timed ventilation, that is exactly what the working-hours measurement shows. [6] It does not replace the obligatory statutory measurement, though: the passive alpha-track canister remains the legal baseline that is filed for compliance. The working-hours measurement complements it.

Read the statutory background on radon

What you receive

A clear report: the working-hours concentration set against the off-hours readings, the annual working-hours average computed to STUK's method, and a plain-language read on where you stand against the 300 Bq/m³ reference level. [5] If the number is over the limit, we advise the cheapest legitimate next step - not automatically a remediation.

References

  1. [5] Säteilyturvakeskus (STUK) - Radon at the workplace
  2. [6] Säteilyturvakeskus (STUK) - Radon concentration during working hours

Not sure which measurement you need?

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