At Auto Extract Systems, we regularly get asked if clients need a Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) system needs installing and ask our clients if the business’s processes generate dust or fumes that could be deemed hazardous to human health?
What is a LEV System?
A LEV system captures contaminants, such as dust, fumes, and vapours away from the workers’ breathing zone. By using the 4 key design elements (see below) by transporting them away from the working environment, workers are not exposed to them. LEV systems offer employees protection from breathing in contaminants.
There’s essentially four key elements to designing an LEV system; these are:
- Capture Hood
- Air Cleaner
- Air Mover
- Discharge
Poor design and/or maintenance may lead, for example, to leakage in the workplace, causing concentrated local exposure rather than preventing it. A poorly designed, installed, misused and incorrectly maintained system can become an expensive waste of expenditure and may give a false impression of hazard control.
Workplace Air Monitoring
It’s advised that Workplace Air Monitoring (WAM) is undertaken to assess and qualify and quantify the level of contaminants generated from the working process. By having WAM assessments completed, you can determine whether or not the Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) are exceeded and a LEV system is required. We’ve found, that this typically helps justify decision-makers choices when selecting the right method of removing contaminants from the workplace.
What are WELs (Workplace Exposure Limits)?
WELs (Workplace Exposure Limits) are measures set by the HSE that aims to provide a legal limit of concentration, or strength of a given substance in a workplace’s air over a period of time, TWA (Time Weighted Average). This guideline has been set to protect an employee by setting guidelines for work working conditions. To find out more about WELs, click here to read our ‘What are Substance WELs (Workplace Exposure Limits)? article.
Occupational Illnesses
Having employees sick and off work due to occupational illnesses can cost businesses a lot of money. If a business is not providing adequate protection for employees properly and a number of employees could be affected which could lead to negligible legal cases down the line. On reflection, the cost of a comprehensive LEV system is likely to offer greater value for money.
Subsequently, statistics from the HSE in 2014/15 found that 23.3 million days were lost due to work-related ill health in the UK with an average of 19 days per employee affected. They estimate the economic cost of this at £9.4 billion, or £18,700 per case (this cost is a combination of the employee themselves, business and the government).
Employees’ health and safety are paramount and we endeavour to help businesses provide substantial protection in safe working environments for all employees; as an employee’s health and well-being can have long and costly implications for a business.
Your Legal Responsibility
It is your company’s legal responsibility to protect employees and the environment. Legal responsibilities include: providing extraction equipment to control substances hazardous to health has a legal requirement to examine and test this equipment in order to comply with Regulation 9 of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (2002) Regulations.
The 7 Essential Elements of COSHH
We’ve put together an easy to use infographic to help you and your business identify opportunities to improve the control measures. You can find this on our ‘The 7 Essential Elements of COSHH [Infographic]‘ article.
Request your FREE LEV Site Assessment Today!
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!
HSE Local Exhaust Ventilation Guidance
We work in strict adherence to HSE’s ‘HSG258: Controlling Airborne Contaminants at Work: A Guide to Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) guidance to tailor an LEV system to your workplace’s precise extraction requirements.
Learn How We Helped Businesses Just Like Yours
To find out more about the latest LEV installations we’ve been working on, check out our Case Studies section.
