Local Exhaust Ventilation

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Regulation 9 of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health both state that LEV systems must be monitored and maintained to ensure they are in good working order.

There is a statutory requirement for LEV systems to be tested every 14 months. In shorter time frames, and in some cases where metals articles are ground, abraded or polished for more than 12 hours per week as an example, LEV systems are required to be tested every six months. Additionally, any processes where shot-blasting is carried out or if systems are involved in the cleaning of metal castings, they need to be assessed every month.

An effective and properly carried out LEV assessment comprises three stages:

1. A thorough visual examination to verify the LEV is in efficient working order.
2. Measure and examine the technical performance to check conformity with commissioning or other sources of relevant information.
3. Assessment to check the control of worker exposure is adequate.