Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Regulations – COSHH Regulation 9
Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) maintenance is incredibly important. Every year employees suffer from breathing in dust, fumes and other airborne hazards at work. This can lead to long term damage and possibly death.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimate that 12,000 deaths a year occur from exposure to such irritants as dust and chemicals.
COSHH Regulation 9 covers the use of LEV systems. It ensures that “Every employer who provides any control measure to meet the requirements of regulation 7 shall ensure that, where relevant, it is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order, in good repair and in a clean condition.”
COSHH Regulation 7 on the other hand states that “Every employer shall prevent or, where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately control the exposure of their employees to substances.”
LEV systems are part of this measure, they provide sufficient control to the exposure of harmful materials by preventing their release into the air whilst removing them from the workplace environment.
An LEV ensures that the air quality in a workplace is safe and the health of workers is not compromised. Many of the reported side effects and long-term health problems associated with exposure to dust, vapours, gases, or fumes can be avoided with the proper use and upkeep of an LEV system.
What Is COSHH Regulation 9?
COSHH Regulation 9 states that the employer is responsible for a thorough examination and testing of any control measures of LEV systems. LEV systems, like any machinery, can degrade over time and become susceptible to blockages, wear and tear, leaks or damage.
Testing and maintenance should be carried out once every 14 months. This is a requirement by law and employers must safeguard employees by carrying out checks to ensure that LEVs are operating effectively.
It is also a requirement for the results of any testing or repairs (carried out by a competent person) to be kept on record for at least 5 years.
Why Do We Need Local Exhaust Ventilation Regulations?
With the HSE estimating that around 12,000 fatalities are directly linked to dust or chemical exposure, it is important to regularly maintain and test LEV systems. The effects of exposure to dangerous fumes or dust can include respiratory disease and symptoms are often irreversible.
COSHH 9 Regulation protects both staff, the general public and anyone who could be at risk of exposure to irritants or hazardous substances in the work atmosphere.
Risk management is key and it is the supervisors and managers who are responsible for this. However, recent figures produced by the HSE show that whilst many UK companies have LEVs in place, when it comes to the testing of this equipment, many businesses simply don’t bother.
The HSE produced stats which showed that around 100,000 firms in the UK adhere to LEV practices to eliminate harmful airborne contaminants that could affect employee health and well-being.
This equates to approximately 2.6 million workers. However, less than half of these companies regularly test their LEV systems as per the COSHH 9 Regulation.
This in turn means that around 1.6 million staff members and 60,000 businesses leave their team members’ health and safety to chance as well as disregarding the COSHH 9 Regulation.
How To Comply With Local Exhaust Ventilation Regulations
Compliance is simple: regular and comprehensive testing and examination of any LEV systems must be carried out at least every 14 months. There are exceptions with some equipment requiring testing monthly, or every 6 months; this is specified in Table 4 of HSG258.
LEV tests are described as being a thorough and systematic inspection to ensure that the LEV can perform as intended and will continue to contribute to the adequate control of exposure to harmful substances.
Testing is carried out on hoods and their classification; ducts; air movers; air cleaners etc. With this comes the testing of the overall performance of the system with the aim of determining if the system can provide continued effectiveness.
Ducting is also tested and air flow speed measured in order to ascertain if the air is being extracted from the workspace.
LEV tests check that equipment is working effectively and as designed. A range of parameters are measured and everything is visually checked over in a systematic manner. The information gathered from all of the testing concludes if adequate control of exposure is being achieved or not.
Reports usually include photographs of tested items or schematic diagrams which identify test points. For example, it is a requirement for testing points on ducting to be clearly identifiable. The final report shows areas for improvement or highlights any defective equipment.
Who Can Carry Out LEV Testing?
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 specifies that anyone carrying out LEV testing must be experienced, qualified and competent. A qualified specialist is required to carry out any testing and analysis.
How Can Workplace Exposure Help?
At Workplace Exposure, our LEV testing is carried out by qualified consultants who hold the BOHS Module P601 – Thorough Examination and Testing of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Systems with a broad range of experience working with all types of systems and workplaces.
The health of your employees is paramount. Having an LEV in place is simply not enough; regular inspections, maintenance and testing of all equipment needs to be carried out. Bear in mind that regular maintenance and inspection of an LEV system is not the same as thorough examination and testing, as legally required under COSHH regulations.
Ultimately, LEV testing helps to keep your workplace environment safe and in line with legal regulations. It can also save your business time and money.
Please contact us if you would like any further information or assistance – we would be delighted to help
Our approach
Get in touch with Workplace Exposure. Either give us a call on 0800 689 4386, or fill in our enquiry form to discuss your monitoring or consultancy requirements.
We’ll then provide you with a no-obligation proposal, we can often give an initial idea of fees whilst we discuss your needs.
Once you’ve accepted our proposal, we can then schedule the work.
Following our site visit we’ll provide you with a comprehensive report giving you advice, recommendations and control measures where appropriate. Implement the outcomes for compliance and a happier healthier workplace.