Summary
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has authorised a Crown Censure against His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) for failing to protect staff and prisoners from radon exposure at HMP Dartmoor. An investigation confirmed that radon levels in accommodation and workspaces significantly exceeded legal limits for a prolonged period. Following initial enforcement actions in 2023, HMPPS mothballed the prison in 2024. The HSE determined that HMPPS failed to adequately manage the risks associated with the naturally occurring radioactive gas, which is the UK’s second-leading cause of lung cancer.
Analysis
The decision to issue a Crown Censure highlights a serious systemic failure in the duty of care owed by HMPPS to its employees and those in its custody. Because HMPPS is a Crown body, it is immune from financial penalties and traditional prosecution; therefore, the Crown Censure serves as the maximum possible sanction, acting as a formal, public record of a criminal-standard breach of law.
The severity of the situation is evidenced by the “mothballing” of the entire facility, suggesting that the geological risks inherent to the Dartmoor area were either misunderstood or neglected to a degree that rendered the buildings uninhabitable. Furthermore, the HSE’s emphasis on “prolonged” exposure to levels “significantly above” legal limits suggests a substantial long-term health liability for the Ministry of Justice, as radon overexposure is directly linked to fatal cancers.
Article Link: Health and Safety Executive authorises Crown Censure of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service following radon exposure at HMP Dartmoor