Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)

ESP Environmental has experienced technicians qualified to the necessary BOHS P601, to perform the required tests on LEV’s.

There is a duty of care on the employer and it is a legal requirement to carry out regular maintenance and performance checks to ensure the extraction system is performing to the required standard to protect the operator from exposure to hazardous pollutants. Guidance on the law is set out in HSG 258

The official timeline for LEV testing is once in every 14 months, the preferred period by HSE is annually and the extra 2 months is given for a continuously plan encase systems goes down and are unable to be tested on the day of the survey

How is the system tested?

A selection of different handheld equipment, all calibrated to traceable standards is used alongside lamps and smoke generators. Sample points will need to be drilled (if not already there) on the duct at accessible and relevant locations. At these locations, a mixture of averaged measurements are take to record, static pressure, velocity pressure and then calculated to Air flow m/s.

The hoods, ventilation canopies and enclosures are examined for mechanical damage and measurements are recorded of the face velocity, from here the volume of air for the system is calculated. All face velocities are also checked with smoke to ensure the workers breathing space has the adequate extraction.

Report

A user-friendly report will be drawn up indicating clear results with a straightforward PASS or FAIL grade. Areas with a Fail grade will include detailed information why and where the system is of poor performance, the report will include recommendations on what is required to remedy the issues.

Pass or Fail all systems will include comments with required actions and recommendations for improving the system performance.

Why is it Important?