LEV Testing

Local Exhaust Ventilation refers to the system of capturing dust, fume or vapour at source, using air movement to capture and convey the contaminant to a safe discharge point. Equipment installed for this purpose should, in line with COSHH regulations, be inspected at least every 14 months and records of those inspections kept on file. This is a legal requirement.

At Heaton Green, we are specialists in providing comprehensive LEV testing on the majority of extraction equipment ensuring your workers are kept in a safe environment.

Working strictly within the HSE regulations under HSG-258 guidance of LEV systems all of testing and maintenance work is completed by our competent engineers, as part of our LEV test our engineer will carry out a mechanical inspection of the installation and following our inspections a report on the condition and any maintenance work which may be required is commissioned. As part of our LEV testing service we can repair LEV systems and fit both spares and replacements at very competitive prices.

WHY DO YOU NEED AN LEV TEST?

LEV Testing is a legal requirement as set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974; it is designed to ensure that any ventilation equipment is working effectively and safety in order to help clean the air from possible dusts, fumes and other airborne contaminants that your employees breathe.

As set down in COSHH for most systems the legal requirement is to have an LEV test completed every 14 months; however some equipment in selected industries does require more frequent testing and if wear and tear on the LEV system is liable to mean the effectiveness will degrade between tests then examinations should be carried out more frequently.

The Testing Process

Stage 1: A thorough visual and structural examination

This is stage is to verify that the LEV is in efficient working order, in good repair and in a clean condition and may include a thorough external examination of all parts of the system, looking for damage, wear and tear, internal duct examinations, examination of any filter cleaning devices work correctly, inspection of the filter fabric and where filters have built-in pressure gauges, checks on their function and that the operating pressure is correct, checks of the water flow and sump condition in a wet scrubber, checks that the monitors and alerts/alarms are functioning correctly, inspection of the air mover drive mechanism, checks for indications of effectiveness.

Stage 2: A review of technical performance

This stage checks the conformity with commissioning or other sources of relevant information and may include observations, challenge testing, dust lamp testing, measurements, additional checks to individual components and calculations of volume flow rates.

Stage 3: Assessment of control effectiveness

The stage is to ensure that the LEV can continue to perform as intended by design and will contribute to the adequate control of exposure and includes a visual and structural examination, observations of the process and contaminant sources and he way in which operators use the LEV, challenge tests, appropriate measurements and a comparison of measurements made with any employer records of air sampling relevant to LEV performance and information on the way operators use the LEV.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does LEV stand for?

Local Exhaust Ventilation

What is Local Exhaust Ventilation and Why Do We Need It?

The production of dust and fumes created in industrial processes across a variety of industries can be harmful to health and if exposed over time can result in diseases such as asthma, lung scarring and even cancer.

Local Exhaust Ventilation (often called LEV) helps to control dust and fumes by capturing contaminated air at the source, removing the opportunity for contaminants to escape into the woking environment, the contaminated air is then extracted through ducting and goes into a filter which then collects the contaminants and cleans the air minimising the exposure to contaminants reducing the negative effects on health.

What Is LEV testing?

Testing a dust and fume extraction systems ensure that a system is working to the required standard ensuring that the system is compliant with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations.

How Often Should LEV systems be tested?

Testing an LEV system is a legal requirement and should be done at least every 14 months, however some industries do require testing more with some industries as often as every month. Records of testing should be kept for at least 5 years and information on an installed LEV system should be kept for the lifetime of the system.

Failure to comply with testing regulations and improvement orders resulting from an LEV test can lead to prosecution and fines from the HSE.

Why Do I Need an LEV Test

An LEV test ensures your system is still working as effectively as originally intended or where improvements need to be made. An LEV system that works as originally intended ensures a contaminant free working environment for your employees.

Furthermore an LEV test is a legal requirement and failure to comply can result in prosecution and fines from the HSE.

What is an LEV Report

As part of the test you will receive an LEV report, the report is a key document which covers everything you need to know about the system and any recommendations. The report must be kept for a minimum of 5 years and forms a part of your COSHH file for compliance with the HSE guidelines.

Who Can Perform an LEV Test?

An LEV test must be performed by a competent person who has combination of knowledge of systems, airflow, HSE guidance as well as skills and experience that enables them to perform an effective job and ensuring your system is working as it should do.

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Heaton Green Dust Control Ltd, Atlas Quarry Works, Howard Street, Batley, West Yorkshire, WF17 6AA

LEV Testing