DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — A state grounds maintenance facility in Downtown Tallahassee has a radon mitigation system installed, but workers were recently relocated after an employee's personal testing suggested radon gas levels inside may be elevated.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
Edward Hines began working at the state grounds maintenance facility on South Bronough Street in November 2025. He said he was unaware a radon mitigation system had been installed there until technicians arrived to work on it.
By that point, Hines said he had been experiencing unexplained brain fog and extreme fatigue. Learning about the system prompted him to start asking questions about his workplace.
"When I get in situations like this, I reach out for people that have more knowledge than I do and people that can protect me, and this is one of those examples of that kind of situation," Hines said.
Hines began monitoring the building with his own radon detector on July 1, 2026, and continued through the end of the month. A letter from his attorney to the state says the device recorded multiple readings above the level where the EPA recommends action.
Those readings came from Hines' personal device and have not been independently confirmed.
Radon starts in the ground. The Florida Department of Health says the naturally occurring radioactive gas can find its way into buildings through cracks and other openings. It cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted, which is why testing matters.
The concern extends beyond the workplace. State health data shows about 1 in 5 Florida homes tested has radon above the EPA's action level. When levels are high, a mitigation system can help reduce the amount of radon building up inside.
But Jeff Shockey, a radon technician with Blue Bear Home Inspection, said installing a system is not the end of the process.
"If a building already has a mitigation system in it, the EPA and the Florida Department of Health would still recommend periodic testing to ensure that that mitigation system is extracting and controlling the release of radon," Shockey said.
In a written statement to ABC 27, the Florida Department of Management Services said its mitigation system has been in place for many years. After learning about Hines' personal readings, the agency moved staff to another location and began an inspection.
ABC 27 asked DMS for the facility's previous radon test results and information on when the mitigation system was installed. The results of the state's current inspection are also pending.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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