What to look for from an LEV Testing provider

Thorough examination and testing (TExT) of all LEV (local exhaust ventilation) systems by a competent person is a legal requirement under COSHH Regulations, but how do you know if an LEV Testing provider is up to the job?

LEV extraction systems are used to effectively remove airborne contaminants including oil mist, dust and fume to ensure employees are not exposed to potentially hazardous particles. It’s therefore vital that control methods including local exhaust ventilation are doing the job they were installed to do. Thorough examination and testing at least once every 14 months plays a key role in checking that the LEV is working as intended.

In the same way that you’d only have your car or van MOT undertaken by an official MOT testing Station, checking that your LEV Test provider is competent is a critical consideration for business owners otherwise the test report might not be worth the paper it’s written on.

Factors to consider when choosing an LEV Test provider include:

Engineer competency – does the LEV Engineer hold P601 certification to prove they have undertaken the BOHS Thorough Examination and Testing of Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems course? 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. Find out more about the P qualifications from BOHS.
Safe ways of working – does the contractor have documented ways of working including Risk Assessments and Method Statements? Are they part of an accredited health and safety scheme such as SafeContractor or Avetta? Is the TExT carried out in accordance with the recommendations in HSG258?
Length of time in the LEV industry – how long has the provider been working in the LEV industry for? Does it have examples of existing clients that have testified on its behalf?
Test reports – do the LEV test reports provided comply with the recommendations in HSG258? LEV test reports should include details specified on page 88 of HSG258. Find out more on this topic from our Field Engineering Manager, Rob Fullwood.
LEV experience – not all LEV systems are the same! Extraction systems designed to remove oil mist are very different to those for dust, and different types of dust might require different types of extraction. Some dusts will need to be controlled using wet dust collectors, for others a dry dust collector will be best. Does your intended LEV Test provider have experience with the type of LEV system you need testing?
Insurance – does the LEV Test provider have adequate professional indemnity insurance should anything untoward happen?
Training – does the LEV Engineer have up to date health and safety training, for example, working in confined spaces, working at height etc?
PPE – does the LEV Engineer have thorough knowledge of PPE and when it should be used?
Adequate failure notice – if the LEV system fails a TExT, how does the Engineer make this known to all machine operators? LEV systems which have failed an inspection are not fit for purpose and therefore viewed in the same way as having no LEV by the HSE. It should be clear to all employees if an LEV has failed its routine TExT and the machine should not be used until the LEV has been fixed, re-tested and passed.
Replacement parts – can the contractor arrange for replacement spares and consumables to be delivered quickly in the event of a failed LEV test? Do they hold van stock to help minimise production downtime?

Filtermist and its dedicated LEV Engineers offer all of this and much more.

We have manufactured and installed LEV systems for UK manufacturers since 1969 and hold both SafeContractor and Avetta accreditation for our health and safety systems.