Story Highlight
– HMP Dartmoor closed due to high radon gas levels.
– Inmates exposed to five times safe radon limit.
– 750 former inmates pursue £60,000 compensation claims.
– Government faces criminal investigation for mishandling situation.
– £4m annual lease continues despite prison’s uninhabitability.
Full Story
A major health crisis has unfolded at HMP Dartmoor, where inmates and staff have raised serious concerns following significant exposure to radon gas. The situation came to light when neon-yellow “Do Not Enter” signs appeared throughout the facility, alerting personnel and inmates alike to the toxic and radioactive nature of radon, a substance linked to increased lung cancer risk.
Inmates and staff were initially reassured that the threat could be contained. However, the response evolved to include the installation of radon monitors in every cell and public areas such as the communal kitchen, where many prisoners worked extensively. By December 2023, the situation escalated dramatically when numerous vulnerable inmates in F wing were hurriedly relocated. The prison population rapidly shrank from approximately 650 to just over 100 within months, reflecting a government mandate to mitigate unacceptably high radon levels. The last remaining prisoners left by August 2024.
For Adam, an inmate relocated to Stafford in January 2024, a letter titled “Exposure to Radon” from His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service outlined the severity of the situation. The communication indicated Adam had been subjected to radon exposure at five times the annual safe limit and warned of potential health complications, including loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, and severe respiratory issues. HMP Dartmoor subsequently closed its doors due to this health scare.
Adam, a pseudonym for anonymity, is among around 750 former inmates and staff members participating in a class-action lawsuit against the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). They are collectively seeking at least £60,000 each in compensation for the negligence that led to their exposure. Within the group, a former NHS employee claims his time at Dartmoor has resulted in unexplained fertility issues. Other participants include a veteran senior prison officer who lost trust in the MoJ after perceiving repeated dishonesty about the radon situation, alongside several former prisoners suffering heightened health anxiety regarding potential connections between their ailments and radon exposure. Moreover, legal representatives have been approached by the families of three deceased individuals—one prisoner and two officers—who had spent time at Dartmoor.
The prevailing sentiment among former inmates is one of outrage over government mismanagement. With Dartmoor’s ageing structure rooted in granite, officials had prior knowledge of hazardous radon levels yet continued sending prisoners to the facility amid a national overcrowding crisis. Furthermore, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has since initiated a criminal investigation into the prison management’s handling of the radon crisis, reviewing allegations that the evacuation process was inadequately executed.
Mladen Kesar, a solicitor representing the affected individuals, condemned the MoJ’s actions, stating, “This is about putting humans in a dangerous situation where the public authority knew it was dangerous and couldn’t care less whether that had any consequences for their health, including for their own staff.” He indicated that these claims are likely to unveil a series of failings by the MoJ in managing this public health emergency.
In a shocking financial oversight, despite ongoing radon mitigation efforts and a significant 25-year lease established in 2022 costing taxpayers approximately £4 million annually, the MoJ continues to pay for the currently unusable prison. Measurements dating back to 2020 highlighted unacceptable radon levels, contradicting the fiscal responsibility expected from government agencies. As taxpayers become increasingly burdened with an estimated £68 million in improvement costs, the entire lease failure has been denounced by the government’s public spending watchdog as a “catastrophic failure.”
Antonia Romeo, who held the position of senior civil servant in the MoJ during the decision to renew the lease, has since been appointed as the new cabinet secretary by Sir Keir Starmer. Meanwhile, Gary Badley, named as the individual responsible for the lease negotiations, has been tasked with overseeing renovations and maintaining the entire prison estate
Radon, a naturally occurring gas generated from uranium decay in certain rocks and soil, is both colourless and odourless. Its accumulation in confined spaces poses serious health risks, including an increased probability of lung cancer. According to the UK Health Security Agency, over 1,100 deaths in the UK each year are attributed to diseases linked with radon exposure. The public accounts committee’s chair, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, revealed that the MoJ only decided to evacuate Dartmoor residents following health officials signaling that radon levels were beyond statutory safety limits.
Within the staff community, uncertainty and confusion prevailed. A former NHS professional, who worked in various prisons over five years, shared that he only discovered the radon risk after detector installations in his work area in 2023. Expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of communication, he recalled a meeting where he was assured that no closures were imminent, despite mitigation strategies being announced.
Former staff reported an “ad hoc” operational approach to shutting down areas of the prison. Safety teams endeavoured to assess the radon risks, moving inmates based on priority as the threat emerged. The chaotic handling has been characterised by pervasive anxiety among those required to act.
Former employee Mark McKay, who served nearly a decade at Dartmoor, lamented the breakdown of trust between prison staff and management, attributing systemic issues to negligence over many years. He voiced concerns about the initial downplaying of radon readings and the quick dismissal of his calls for further assessments.
The fallout of these decisions has reached dramatic personal consequences. Some former staff members, like Robert Barnett, now face uncertain health issues that may trace back to their unawareness of radon exposure during their time at Dartmoor. Others, including former inmates, emphasize the dire need for formal testing for potential radon-related health complications.
As prisoners were moved in and out in a precarious “hokey-cokey” style, the implications of poor planning have become painfully evident. The ongoing situation further raises questions regarding the future of Dartmoor. Prison ministers, including James Timpson, have outlined that decisions concerning the facility remain pending, pending the outcome of investigations and reviews of the measures enacted to protect occupants.
Our Thoughts
The situation at HMP Dartmoor highlights critical failures in health and safety management, particularly around the handling of radon exposure. To avoid this incident, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) should have implemented proactive measures for radon monitoring and risk assessment, adhering to the requirements outlined in the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017. Regular assessments and necessary radon mitigation strategies should have been employed, especially given the prison’s location in a radon-prone area, as indicated by past readings exceeding safety thresholds.
Key safety lessons include the importance of transparent communication with both staff and inmates regarding health risks and ensuring timely evacuation procedures when hazard levels are detected. The health and safety breaches noted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) likely included failures to comply with Regulation 8 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which necessitates risk assessments and corresponding action plans.
Moving forward, similar incidents could be prevented through improved oversight, increased training for staff on environmental hazards, and a commitment to infrastructural updates that reduce risks associated with naturally occurring radioactive materials. Regular audits and a culture of safety should be prioritized to prevent exposure risks to vulnerable populations.
