Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Testing

Speak to an expert

Key Benefits of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Testing

• Ensure and maintain compliance with COSHH Regulations
• Keep your employees protected by ensuring that exposures are adequately controlled
• Avoid potential fines and prosecutions
• A Thorough Examination and Test of your LEV systems is often a requirement for insurance policies
• Keeping your LEV systems in good working condition can keep them quieter and more energy efficient
• A Thorough Examination and Test can help you to identify other risks such as explosions and hazards from contaminants accumulating in the ducting

What is Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Testing?

A Thorough Examination and Test of your Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems gives you the confidence that they are in good working order and providing the intended protection for your employees. The Thorough Examination and Test is a statutory requirement of the COSHH Regulations, in addition to your routine checks and maintenance, to keep your LEV running properly.

 

LEV, sometimes called extraction systems, are an important tool used to protect worker’s health. They remove hazardous substances such as dusts, fumes and vapours from the workplace air. LEV Testing is a legal requirement. COSHH Regulation 9 requires that LEV systems are tested at least every 14 months. Depending on the age of the system, the amount of wear and tear and whether there have been any changes made to the system or processes, more frequent testing may be needed. Additionally, there are certain specified processes requiring even more frequent testing of the associated LEV (COSHH Regulations Schedule 4).

What to Expect

A Thorough Examination and Test of an LEV system is a detailed and systematic examination to assess if it performing as intended and contributing to adequate control of exposures. The examination and test will compare the system against the performance recorded in the commissioning report. The Thorough Examination and Test will be undertaken, in accordance with HSG258, by an experienced Occupational Hygiene Consultant who will visit your site. They will collect information such as airflow, condition of the system, hood type and position relative to contaminants, static pressures, and visual indications of capture efficiency. All the information is then compiled into a report where we will advise you on your current level of compliance and offer recommendations for improvement.