What are the ‘P’ LEV proficiency qualifications?

The UK local exhaust ventilation (LEV) industry frequently refers to the suite of 'P' proficiency qualifications in the context of employee competency. The P series of courses was introduced by BOHS, the British Occupational Hygienists Society, to formally recognise the knowledge and skills required to safely work with LEV systems.

There are currently five different ‘P’ qualifications, each covering a different aspect of LEV systems – from a basic introduction about what constitutes an LEV system, to testing, system design and performance evaluation.

In its publication INDG368, Using Contractors, a Brief Guide, the HSE advises employers to check the suitability of contractors:

You will need to satisfy yourself that the contractor you choose can do the job safely and without risks to health. This means making enquiries about the competence of the contractor – do they have the right combination of skills, experience and knowledge? The degree of competence required will depend on the work.

The HSE describes competency as follows:

‘Competence can be described as the combination of training, skills, experience and knowledge that a person has and their ability to apply them to perform a task safely. Other factors, such as attitude and physical ability, can also affect someone's competence.’

Filtermist assesses the competency of each individual in its team of mobile engineers to determine which jobs they are most suitable for. All Filtermist LEV Testing Engineers are certified to a minimum of P601, and members of the wider Sales and Engineering teams hold a variety of P qualifications ranging from P600 to P604.

“Whilst formal qualifications have their role to play in assessing competency, there are a range of other factors which we also take into account,” states Poppy Durnall, Head of HR at Filtermist. “We also consider the length of time the engineer has worked in our industry, and we routinely audit their work to ensure it meets the standards we require for our customers.”

Meet some of our team and find out what they get up to in the our people section on our news page.

LEV Proficiency Qualifications from BOHS

Here’s a brief overview of the various P courses – more details on each course can be found on the BOHS website.

P600 - Methods for Testing the Performance of Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems

P600 is an introductory one-day course which focuses on the fundamentals of LEV systems. It includes details of system components, as well as measurement and testing techniques. It provides delegates with the basic skills and knowledge to progress into careers that involve using LEV testing equipment and is useful precursor to BOHS (British Occupational Hygiene Society) level 4 proficiency qualifications.

Find out more on the BOHS website.

P601 - Thorough Examination and Testing of Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems

P601 provides a practical and theoretical understanding of best practice for controlling hazardous substances, the role of LEV in helping to minimise exposure to airborne particles, and how to test and maintain LEV systems to the standard required by the HSE.

More information about P601 can be found on the BOHS website.

P602 - Basic Design Principles of Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems

P602 is designed to give a practical and theoretical understanding of best control practice for hazardous substances, the role of LEV as an engineering control, and how to design LEV systems. This course also shows how to evaluate LEV system performance to ensure that they are functioning properly and protecting worker’s health.

Find out more about P602.

P603 - Control of Hazardous Substances – Personal Protective Equipment

P603 offers in-depth knowledge about control options for hazardous substances, the role of PPE in the hierarchy of controls, and how to select, use and maintain PPE effectively to protect workers from exposure to airborne contaminants.

Click here for more on P603 on the BOHS website.

P604 - Performance Evaluation, Commissioning and Management of Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems

P604 gives delegates a practical and theoretical understanding of how to fully commission or re-commission LEV systems, to ensure they have been designed properly and will effectively control airborne contaminants.