Industrial ventilation systems are an essential piece of equipment in most workplaces they provide a health and safety measure to protect staff and stakeholders from harmful workplace contaminants. Industrial ventilation systems are designed to ensure that airborne contaminants are controlled and removed from the worker’s breathing zone to improve indoor air quality.
If a workplace lacks adequate ventilation, pollution, such as dust, fumes, vapours, gases and mists, can be generated from various kinds of industrial processes, which can be hazardous to your employee’s health and can have detrimental effects on your business.
Businesses and health and safety representatives should ensure that there are thorough industrial ventilation systems installed to control airborne contaminants to not only capture and remove but convey and process the different types of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) found in the working environment.
What Are the Consequences If I Don’t Provide Industrial Ventilation?
If a business fails to provide comprehensive industrial ventilation systems, typically in the form of local exhaust ventilation (LEV), they are putting their staff’s health and well-being at risk.
Workplaces that lack the adequate industrial ventilation required to control substances, such as dust, fume and mists can result in serious health risks for employees. Ultra-Fine Particles (UFP) can be inhaled and can cause irritation and lead to long-term lung problems, such as occupational asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) or even lung cancer, in addition to skin diseases, such as dermatitis.
By adequately controlling and maintaining airborne contaminants in work with LEV equipment you’ll be compliant with the HSE’s Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002. Under regulation 7, you’ll have met the legal requirement, that “Every employer shall ensure that the exposure of his employees to substances hazardous to health is either prevented or, where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately controlled.”
There are several factors to consider when designing building and industry-specific industrial ventilation systems. An industrial ventilation and extraction system can protect workers from exposure and also help you comply with the regulations. In order to achieve proper dust collection and filtration, the types of contaminants expected must be considered as well as the facility size and layout. If you are looking to implement a ducting solution, for example, it’s essential to get ducting supplies that are tailored to your particular requirements.
Industrial Local Exhaust Ventilation
Local exhaust ventilation works most effectively when it’s placed where the process is taking place, this is typically known as ‘at-source’. This gives the best opportunity for the indoor pollutants to be captured and removed before they reach the worker’s breathing zone and before they have the opportunity to dissipate into the broader working environment.
However, this type of industrial ventilation system relies on much smaller amounts of air intake and output compared to dilution ventilation. Local exhaust ventilation is smaller and features localised equipment, (capture hoods, ducting, air cleaners and fans) that are designed to capture the contaminants and then filter them right at the source. Contaminants are then safely discharged away from the workplace through a high-velocity cowl.
Local exhaust ventilation systems recommended of
- Airborne contaminants pose a serious health risk
- Large amounts of dust or fumes are generated near workers breathing zones
- Increased heating costs in colder months are a concern
At Auto Extract Systems, we offer a turnkey LEV Installation service and can manage your LEV installation with a comprehensive turnkey installation service. From your initial enquiry to project sign off, we can take care of every element of your LEV system installation.
 | Request a FREE LEV Site Assessment
We’ll call to arrange a convenient time and date to visit your site. We’ll analyse your working processes, assess the substances used and the contaminants generated. We’ll work out how best to control the dust and fume in a way that’s in line with your COSHH risk assessment. Next, we’ll design you a comprehensive LEV system that adheres to HSG258 guidance and send this you to via email. We’ll do all this to ensure we fully understand your dust and fume extraction requirements and help you to provide a pollution-free workplace! This is an amazing service we do for thousands of businesses throughout the UK and Ireland every year. We work with such a wide variety of industries, from manufacturing, industrial, woodworking, pharmaceutical and automotive workshops to schools, colleges and military establishments. Request your FREE, no-obligation LEV site assessment today! |
LEV Testing
It’s integral to remember also that under regulation 9 of the COSHH regulations, that LEV systems are subject to an examination and test once in a 14 month period. Find out more about our LEV
LEV testing is a legal requirement for compliance with the health and safety standards and test reports often form part of a company’s insurance. Inadequate testing can result in employers being prosecuted, insurance being invalidated and employees falling ill.
Dilution Ventilation
Another method of industrial ventilation is dilution ventilation. As the name suggests, by diluting contaminated air sources with fresh air supplies. This doesn’t capture and dispose of contaminants but reduced the concentration to low levels. The drawback with this method is you’ll need to ensure that regular air monitoring is completed to ensure that the concentrations levels are below the workplace exposure limits. We find this method of industrial ventilation is much less variable and volatile than local exhaust ventilation.
Other Measures
One of the best ways to prevent and limit the presence of harmful fumes is to ensure systems are well maintained and high quality, corrosion-resistant components are used. Companies such as actuation.co.uk provide reliable actuated valves for seamless flow control that resist corrosion and the resulting leak of hazardous fumes into the working environment.
Why Choose Auto Extract Systems?
Auto Extract Systems is the UK’s leading LEV company. Over the last 20 years, we’ve helped thousands of businesses create pollution-free workplaces, and avoid a costly fee for intervention fines.
We are experts in all things LEV, we can help your business become COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulation 2002 compliant with a tailored LEV solution. We provide comprehensive design, installation, maintenance and certification services across a range of industry sectors. Find out more about us here.
