Getting to know Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)

Phil Black - PII Editor 17/12/2020

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According to the HSE report ‘Occupational Lung Disease statistics in Great Britain, 2020’, an estimated 48,000 people who worked in the last 12 months currently have “breathing or lung problems” they regard as caused or made worse by work.

As an employer you have a legal responsibility under COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations to ensure you have effective control measures in place which could include Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) equipment.

LEV systems capture, contain and treat air contaminated with oil mist, fume, smoke and dust at source before it has an opportunity to escape into the wider working environment. The term ‘LEV’ means a system that includes a hood (or multiple hoods), ducting, a filter, a fan and a discharge mechanism.

If you use LEV equipment, regular LEV Tests by a competent person are also a legal requirement of the COSHH regulations. You must also ensure that it is maintained in efficient working order so it continues to provide the necessary protection to your employees. If you don’t comply and your employees get ill this can be costly to a business, not to mention leaving your staff with life changing illnesses such as occupational asthma and COPD.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has guidance on Controlling Airborne Contaminants at Work called HSG258 which provides information on the principles of deciding on, designing, commissioning and testing effective LEV.

It states that identified LEV checks for each item in the system could include:

Hoods, including airflow indicators, physical damage and blockages
Ducts, including damage, wear and partial blockage
Dampers – position
Air cleaner, including damage, static pressure across the cleaner, and failure
Alarms
Air mover, including power consumption and changes in noise or vibration

Filtermist provides comprehensive LEV testing for all makes and types of extraction equipment, working strictly in accordance with the HSG258 guidelines.

Is your LEV Test Report as comprehensive as it could be?

Filtermist’s dedicated LEV engineers are still sometimes surprised by the varying levels of competency they encounter when talking to customers about their experiences of LEV testing. Anyone responsible for ensuring workplace air is safe should know that all LEV systems are subject to a number of legal requirements.

COSHH Regulation 9 states that in addition to testing by a competent person at least once every 14 months, ‘every employer shall keep a suitable record of the examinations and tests…and of repairs carried out as a result of those examinations and tests, and that record or a suitable summary thereof shall be kept available for at least 5 years from the date on which it was made.’

Filtermist’s Divisional Sales Director (Aftersales), Carl Latham, elaborates, “The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends including a wide range of information in LEV test reports to ensure an accurate record of both the LEV system and the examination results.

“It seems like common sense to experienced LEV engineers to include as many details as possible, but we still hear from customers who have been given a one-page summary sheet as the outcome of an LEV test. This is all very well until there is a problem and it proves difficult to back-track and cross-reference with previous test results.”

Filtermist has carried out LEV tests for some customers who have already had equipment tested, but felt the service was not as stringent as it might have been. Carl continues, “Some employers double-up on their LEV testing to ensure their systems are working properly. They may receive the service as part of their business cover through their insurer, but still pay for a third party to carry out additional tests for their own peace of mind.”

All LEV Test Reports compiled by Filtermist include the following information:

Initial risk assessment
Safety policy
Method statement
Customer name and date examination took place
Reference number for system that the report relates to
Substance / process being controlled
A photo of the LEV system and product reference
Details of the systems intended performance
Test point details
Quantitative assessment readings and details of any repairs required
Statement of competency for the Test Engineer
Report observations and recommendations for improvement

Filtermist produces its comprehensive LEV Test Reports using a digital system. As well as meaning test results can be sent straight to the customer as soon as the report is finalised, digital LEV Test reports make it easy to retrieve the necessary documentation in the eventuality of a request from HSE. The reports include photos and/or schematic diagrams showing the Test Points, which are also clearly identified on the ducting, as required by the HSE.

“LEV Test Reports play a vital role in ensuring the control measures taken by an employer are working as intended and safeguarding employees from potential exposure to substances hazardous to health,” Carl comments.

Filtermist’s team have extensive experience in oil mist, dust, fume and smoke extraction and its dedicated LEV team provides COSHH compliant LEV testing for all makes and models of LEV systems.

Maintaining equipment in between testing

All industrial air filtration and extraction equipment performs best with regular preventative maintenance. Benefits include increased efficiency, less production downtime and reduced costs.

Under the COSHH regulations employers must maintain the LEV in efficient working order so it continues to provide the necessary protection. Regular servicing by experienced engineers means any issues can be identified and resolved in between routine LEV Tests.

Filtermist can provide a bespoke service through its Atlas Service Programme that includes routine and reactive maintenance, and thorough examination and testing (TExT) of LEV systems so employers can be confident they’re protecting their workforce from hazardous airborne contaminants, and operating in compliance with relevant HSE regulations. It also offers flexible payment options meaning no unexpected bills and no unnecessary admin.

Filtermist is accredited by SafeContractor for the high standards of health and safety practiced throughout the company and its team of P601/2 accredited engineers undertake regular training to ensure they’re up to date with the latest HSE requirements.

Visit: www.filtermist.co.uk, email mailto:sales@filtermist.com or call 01952 290500 to request more information.