LEV Testing
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
LEV testing, formally a thorough examination and test of your local exhaust ventilation system under COSHH 2002, is required at least every fourteen months. We measure capture velocities at each hood, check ductwork, verify filter and fan performance, and issue the test report you keep on record.
What LEV Testing covers
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002Local exhaust ventilation captures a contaminant at the point it is produced, before anyone can breathe it in: welding fume at the torch, dust at the saw, solvent vapour at the bench. COSHH regulation 9 requires each system to be thoroughly examined and tested at least every 14 months, and some processes listed in the regulations are on far shorter intervals. A test is not a look at the ductwork. It measures airflow and capture velocity at every hood against the performance the system was designed to deliver, which is why commissioning data matters and why a first visit without it has to establish a benchmark before anything can be judged. Reports must be kept for at least 5 years.
LEV at a glance
The facts that decide what you need and when, in one place.
| Governing regulation | Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, regulation 9 |
|---|---|
| Maximum interval | 14 months for most local exhaust ventilation. Some processes listed in the regulations are on far shorter intervals, including monthly for certain blasting and 6-monthly for some spray booths |
| Who must arrange it | The employer who relies on the system to control exposure |
| Who may carry it out | A competent person able to measure performance against the system's design intent |
| What you receive | A thorough examination and test report, with airflow and capture velocity readings at each point and the next due date |
| Records to keep | Reports must be kept for at least 5 years |
| Typical report turnaround | 1 to 2 working days |
What Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 requires of you
Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, employers and duty holders are legally required to ensure equipment is thoroughly examined by a competent person at regular intervals. Failure to comply can result in significant fines, enforcement action, and, most importantly, puts your workforce at serious risk.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 compliance is not optional
Our LEV Testing Process
Every LEV Testing follows the same five steps, from the first conversation about what you have on site to the report landing in your inbox. Knowing the sequence matters because two of the steps need something from you: agreeing the scope at the start, and giving the engineer safe access on the day. The rest is ours to carry.
- 1
Initial Consultation
We talk through what equipment you hold, how it is used and which regulations bite on it. That conversation sets the scope, and it is what makes a quote a real figure rather than a guess.
- 2
Site Survey
An engineer visits to confirm what is actually on site against what was described, and to identify anything needing immediate attention. Sites often hold more equipment than the office records show, and this is where that surfaces.
- 3
Thorough Examination
The examination itself is hands-on rather than a walk round, carried out to the standard the relevant regulation sets. Each item is assessed on its own and recorded individually, including accessories stored away from the machine.
- 4
Report & Recommendations
You receive a written report identifying every defect found, classified by how urgently it must be put right, with the date the next examination falls due. Anything dangerous is raised with you on site the same day rather than held back for the paperwork.
- 5
Ongoing Support
Once the first examination is done we hold the due dates and flag them before they lapse. Most compliance failures are diary failures rather than equipment failures, so that is the part worth automating.
What a LEV costs, and what moves the figure
We do not publish a flat rate, because LEV work is scoped to your equipment and site and any single figure would be wrong for most readers. Here is what we price on, what a complete quote covers, and how to judge one quote against another, so you can budget before you speak to anyone.
What moves the price
- Number of hoods and capture points. Testing is per extraction point, so a single fume cupboard is quick and a multi-branch dust system is not
- System type and complexity. A downdraft bench differs from a spray booth or a welding fume system with multiple arms
- Whether commissioning data exists. Without design performance figures to test against, benchmarks have to be established first
- Interval. COSHH sets a 14-month maximum, but some processes are on shorter statutory intervals and come round more often
- Access. Ductwork at height or in plant rooms takes longer to inspect and test
- Location and travel, and whether other statutory work is bundled into the visit
What a complete quote should cover
- The competent person's time on site, examining to the standard the regulations require
- A written report identifying any defects and classifying them by how urgently they must be addressed
- The date the next examination falls due
- Certification you can show an HSE inspector or your insurer
- Travel to your site
- Airflow and capture velocity measurements at each point, recorded against the system's design performance
If a quote does not spell these out, ask. The report is the part that proves compliance; an examination with no usable report leaves you no better off than before.
How to compare quotes fairly
Ask every firm the same questions, including us. A cheaper quote usually differs on one of these rather than on the work itself.
| Compare on | Safe-Lee |
|---|---|
| Who carries out the examination, and what qualifications and competent-person status they hold | Stated in writing |
| Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance | Stated in writing |
| Whether they are independent of the equipment's supply, hire and maintenance | Stated in writing |
| Exactly what is included, in writing, with a sample report | Stated in writing |
| How quickly the report is issued after the visit | Stated in writing |
| Whether the quote covers a thorough examination AND test, or a visual inspection only | Stated in writing |
Are Safe-Lee LEV inspections right for you?
We would rather tell you now than after you have booked. Below is who we are a good fit for, who we are not, what this service does not cover, and what else you could do instead, including options we do not sell. Statutory examination is a legal duty rather than a purchase, so the useful question is not whether you need it but whether we are the right people to do it for you.
We are a good fit if
- You are the duty holder or employer responsible for arranging statutory examination
- Your site is in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire or the surrounding North West
- You want the examination done by someone with no commercial interest in the equipment staying in service
- You run fume cupboards, extraction arms, downdraft benches, spray booths, dust extraction or welding fume systems
We are not the right choice if
- You need the equipment repaired, serviced or maintained. We examine and report, and we do not carry out remedial work
- You need a single provider to cover many sites across the UK on the same day. We are a small independent practice, not a national network
- You need 24/7 emergency callout. Work is scheduled, including out of hours where that avoids disrupting production
- You need the system redesigned, rebalanced or rebuilt. We test and report on what is installed
- You need personal exposure monitoring or air sampling, which is occupational hygiene work rather than LEV examination
What this service does not cover
- Repair, servicing, maintenance or refurbishment of the equipment examined
- Supply, hire or sale of equipment or spare parts
- Any work that would compromise our independence as the examining body
- LEV design, installation, ductwork modification and filter replacement
- Personal exposure monitoring and workplace air sampling
What else you could do instead
- Your insurer's engineer surveyor scheme
- Many business insurance policies include statutory inspection for lifting and pressure equipment. Check what you already pay for before buying it twice. It is a genuine alternative, and for some businesses the right one.
- A national inspection body
- If you have many sites across the UK, or need round-the-clock cover, a large provider will suit you better than we will.
- An in-house competent person
- If you employ someone with the right knowledge and experience who is genuinely independent of the equipment's operation and maintenance, they can carry out the examination themselves.
- The company that installed the system
- They will know the design intent. Weigh that against the fact that they are examining their own installation, which is the conflict COSHH's competent-person requirement exists to avoid.
What we need from you
Having these ready shortens the visit and keeps the quote accurate.
- A list of the equipment to be examined, with identification or serial numbers where they exist
- Previous reports or certificates, if you have them, so we can see the history and the next due dates
- Safe access to each item, including any isolation, permits or escorts your site requires
- Someone available who can operate the equipment if a functional check is needed
- Commissioning data or the original design performance figures, if you have them. Without a benchmark, the first visit has to establish one
- The system running under normal production conditions on the day
What Our Clients Say
“Lee is a fantastic engineer and very approachable. He delivers examinations with minimal disturbance to your operations in a timely manner. If you need or are unsure if your equipment requires an examination, contact Lee and he will guide you through the process of becoming and staying compliant.”
Lee Stanaway
Reviewed on Google
“Brilliant company! Can't recommend Lee enough. Great communication throughout and speedy reporting to ensure kit is compliant with LOLER and PUWER.”
Thomas Bullivant
Reviewed on Google
“Great service, very knowledgeable regarding my lifting equipment. If you're needing a LOLER examination carried out, get on to Safe Lee!”
Sean Crawford
Reviewed on Google
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a COSHH LEV inspection involve?
A COSHH LEV inspection involves a thorough examination and test of your local exhaust ventilation system. This includes visual inspection of ductwork, hoods, and fans, airflow measurements at capture points, static pressure readings through the system, and checks on filters and discharge points to ensure the system effectively controls hazardous substances.
How often is a COSHH LEV inspection required?
Under COSHH Regulation 9, LEV systems must be thoroughly examined and tested at least every 14 months. Some specific processes have shorter intervals: for example, LEV for certain blasting operations must be examined every month, and spray-painting booths every 6 months. Your system should be examined according to whichever interval applies.
What equipment does a COSHH LEV inspection cover?
COSHH LEV inspections cover all local exhaust ventilation systems including fume cupboards, extraction arms, downdraft benches, spray booth ventilation, dust extraction systems, welding fume extraction, woodworking extraction, and any other system designed to capture and remove airborne contaminants at source.
Where the LEV rules come from
Everything on this page is our reading of the following documents. They are the authority, not us, so we link them directly and you can check any of it yourself.
- The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
legislation.gov.uk
The statutory instrument itself. Regulation 9 requires LEV to be thoroughly examined and tested.
- Controlling airborne contaminants at work: A guide to local exhaust ventilation (HSG258)
Health and Safety Executive
The reference document for LEV design, testing and the content of a thorough examination and test report.
- Local exhaust ventilation (LEV)
Health and Safety Executive
HSE's topic page on LEV duties, including the 14-month maximum interval and the shorter intervals in Schedule 4.
Further reading
Plain-English guides to the regulations behind LEV: what they require, how often, and who can sign it off.
LEV Testing Every 14 Months
Where the 14-month figure comes from, the processes COSHH requires to be tested far sooner, and what a thorough examination and test covers.
Inspection Frequency Guide
How LEV's 14-month maximum sits alongside the intervals for lifting, pressure and work-at-height equipment on the same site.
Need LEV inspections or a quotation?
The short version: if you hold this equipment, examination is a legal duty rather than a choice, the interval is set by the regulation or by your own scheme rather than by us, and the report is the part that proves you complied.
Tell us what you have on site and roughly where it is, and you will get a scoped quote rather than a rate card. If we are not the right people for it, we will say so.
Areas We Cover
Based in Irlam, Manchester, we provide inspection services across Greater Manchester, the North West, and nationwide.
Where we provide LEV inspections, and what else we examine on the same visit
Safe-Lee works from Irlam in Greater Manchester and covers the North West from that single base, so most sites in the region are within an hour's drive. The county links below open a page for each area we work in regularly.
Most sites need more than one regime. A workshop with a crane, an air receiver and an extraction system falls under LOLER, PSSR and COSHH at the same time, and examining all of it on one planned visit takes less of your time than booking three. The service links below cover the other regimes we examine.