Inverness Justice Centre in health scare over cancer-causing radon gas levels, leaked Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service memo says

Inverness Justice Centre is at the centre of a major health scare over high levels of a cancer-causing gas.

Raised levels of radon have been recorded at the £24 million glass and concrete Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service premises which opened in March 2022.

A leaked memo sent to lawyers, seen by Highland News and Media, describes how some staff have been moved to other parts of the Longman Road building to avoid “potential harm”.

Radon gas, while naturally occurring, is radioactive gas produced by the radioactive decay of uranium, which is found in all rocks and soils.

With certain levels of exposure, it can significantly increase the risk of lung cancer, particularly when inhaled in high concentrations over long periods of time.

It is odourless and colourless, meaning exposure can go unnoticed before significant damage is done.

The risk is said to be especially high for smokers and ex-smokers.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says radon is a major cause of lung cancer and accounts for up to 14% of all cases in a country.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year.

It can take years before health problems appear.

The memo from Ruth Thomson, Sheriff Clerk with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, reads: “I have been advised that raised levels of radon have been recorded in certain areas of the building. SCTS is communicating with those organisations affected.

“As a result, steps have been taken to relocate the staff who work within the Victim Support Scotland Office to another area of the building, to ensure they are protected from any potential harm.

“No further steps have been necessary at this time.

“The situation is being actively monitored and I am in liaison with property services and health and safety colleagues re any further action which requires to be taken to continue to ensure the safety of staff, occupants and building users.”

A Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service spokesman gave this comment an hour and a half after we broke the story.

He said: “The safety of our staff and all who use our buildings is our primary concern.

“Elevated Radon levels have been recorded in three contained areas of Inverness Justice Centre and we have taken action to ensure there is no risk to those using the building.

“We are liaising with the Health and Safety Executive and will take all necessary actions to continue to ensure the safety of all building users.”

The warning to staff said “an official communication will be issued to the press”.

But while sheriffs, lawyers, police, clerks and other court staff were informed of the radon discovery earlier today, journalists who work in the court every day were not told of the potential health hazard.

Freelance journalist David Love was angry at that failure – and suggested it might be down to concerns the radon discovery would be reported ahead of an official announcement.

He said: “Clearly the court’s PR machine was made the priority rather than notifying the risk to reporters.

“Could it be they were worried we would spill the beans too early? Of course it was.

“We have many questions to ask about this. Angry isn’t the word for it.”

In response this evening, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service spokesman added: “The public areas (including where the media would be) were not directly impacted.”