LEV Inspections
Why choose us for LEV Inspections?
We undertake LEV inspections, including Fume and Dust Extraction Systems, Paint Spray Booths, Shot Blast Booths, and On Tool Extraction Systems, throughout the UK.
All our engineer surveyors are competent to act as your Competent Person. They undertake all inspections following our in-house procedures, Risk Assessment and Method Statements (RAMS).
Highly Trained Engineers
Professional, Impartial Advice
Quick Response
Competitive Pricing
Do the COSHH regulations apply to LEV?
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) applies to Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems.
The COSHH regulations say you must control the risks from hazardous substances. Hazardous substances include dusts, mists, gases, fumes, and vapours. If your work processes produce hazardous substances, you must assess the risks they pose to your employees. After that, you must decide what safeguards to put in place for their wellbeing. If the measures you take include LEV to remove the hazardous substances, then you must maintain it in efficient working order, so it continues to provide the necessary protection.
What are LEV Inspections?
The COSHH regulations stipulate that LEV systems must undergo a periodic Thorough Examination and Test. LEV Inspections is a common term used to describe this. They are an integral part of ensuring your LEV systems are maintained in efficient working order.
What do LEV Inspections include?
LEV Inspections test your system against the performance recorded in the commissioning report (or equivalent) to make sure it can continue to perform as intended. The objective of the inspection is to detect significant defects so they can be remedied to maintain control. To do this, the inspection would normally include functional testing such as airflow and pressure measurements. There should be checks on control effectiveness and, possibly, exposure measurements.
Who can perform LEV Inspections?
A Competent Person should perform the Inspection. The Competent Person must be sufficiently independent and impartial to enable them to make objective decisions and necessary recommendations arising from the inspection without fear or favour.
They should also know:
- The parts of the system and their function.
- The legal requirements for the inspection of the system.
- How to recognise a damaged part from a visual inspection.
- The purpose of, and how to use, the measuring and assessment instruments and techniques.
- The most suitable instrument to test the performance of each part of the system.
- The standard to which each part of the system should perform.
- How to recognise when a part of the system is performing unsatisfactorily, based on the measurements taken and assessment methods used.
- How to check whether the system is effective in reducing airborne contaminant emission and operator exposure.
- How to work safely with the LEV plant and the hazards associated with it.
- How to collate and record information in a clear, concise and usable way as upon completion of the inspection they must produce an inspection report.
What should be in the inspection report?
It should provide sufficient evidence to indicate adequate control of the hazardous substance is being achieved.
Identification
The report should contain enough details to link it to a specific LEV system, the Competent Person, and the inspection. It should include the name and address of the employer responsible for the LEV. It should also contain the location of the system and any identification numbers etc.
The report needs to include the name, job title, signature, and employer of the Competent Person who conducted the inspection.
The date of the inspection and, if known, the date of the most recent inspection should also be recorded.
Particulars
The report should also contain particulars concerning the LEV and the inspection.
This should include;
- The process and hazardous substance(s) concerned.
- Its intended operating performance.
- A simple diagram of the LEV layout and its test points.
- Information on the way operators use the LEV.
- The methods used to judge performance and the action to be taken to achieve that performance, eg. visual, smoke test
- The operating conditions at the time of the test and whether this was normal production or special conditions.
Results
It should provide the results of the inspection, including:
- The general condition of the LEV system,
- Information about the LEV plant showing whether the plant is still achieving the same performance. If not, adjustments, modifications or repairs needed to achieve that performance.
- Information on general system wear and tear and whether components may need repair or replacement before the next test.
- Any critical defects identified.
How often should LEV be inspected?
Most LEV needs an inspection at least once every 14 months. The frequency for processes giving off dust or fume in which non-ferrous metal castings are produced is every 6 months, and processes in which blasting is carried out in, or incidental to, the cleaning of metal castings, in connection with their manufacture is once every month.
Is there further guidance?
Several documents providing guidance regarding LEV can be downloaded from the Health and Safety Executive website free of charge.
