LEV Testing in St Helens
St Helens is the historic home of Pilkington Glass, founded in 1826, which remains a major employer. The Greengate Works continues to pioneer hydrogen-fired glass production. The town also has strong logistics and manufacturing sectors.
About LEV Testing in St Helens
St Helens' manufacturing heritage has created a strong demand for effective local exhaust ventilation across the borough, and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 require that every LEV system is thoroughly examined and tested at least every fourteen months. Safe-Lee Inspection & Consultancy provides LEV testing throughout St Helens, serving the borough's industrial base with the specialist expertise these assessments demand. Glass manufacturing at the NSG Group site generates silica dust, cutting fluid mist, and chemical vapours during coating and laminating processes, all controlled by LEV systems that must perform within their design parameters. The chemical handling and processing firms that remain part of St Helens' industrial fabric operate fume cupboards, extraction hoods, and process ventilation systems requiring statutory testing. Engineering workshops around Peasley Cross and the Ravenhead area produce welding fumes, grinding dust, and metalworking oil mist that extraction systems must capture at source before they reach the worker's breathing zone. Woodworking firms and joineries in the borough depend on dust extraction systems to control hardwood and softwood dust, both of which have workplace exposure limits that must not be exceeded. St Helens' vehicle body repair shops require spray booth extraction testing to protect workers from isocyanate paint fumes. Our testing process evaluates the entire system from capture hood to atmospheric discharge. We measure airflow velocities at the point of contaminant generation, assess whether hood designs are suitable for the processes they serve, inspect ductwork for leaks, damage, and blockages, and verify that fans and filters are delivering their rated performance. The detailed examination reports we provide meet the COSHH record-keeping requirements and include practical recommendations where improvements are needed. Safe-Lee operates from Irlam, conveniently close to St Helens via the A580 East Lancashire Road.
Key Areas We Cover
- Pilkington Greengate Works
- Ravenhead Business Park
- Haydock Industrial Estate
- Lea Green Business Park
Local Landmarks
Pilkington Glass headquarters, founded in St Helens in 1826, inventors of the float glass process
Industries Requiring LEV Testing in St Helens
We work with businesses of all sizes across a wide range of sectors.
Manufacturing
Pilkington's Greengate Works continues to manufacture flat glass in St Helens, pioneering hydrogen-fired glass production. The furnaces, molten tin baths, and overhead cranes require regular PSSR, LOLER, and PUWER inspections.
Logistics & Warehousing
Haydock Industrial Estate serves as a major distribution hub in the St Helens borough, with occupiers using forklifts, pallet racking, and goods lifts requiring LOLER examinations.
Construction
Redevelopment of former Pilkington sites and new commercial developments at Ravenhead Business Park generate demand for WAHR inspections of scaffolding and work at height equipment.
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.
St Helens is the historic home of Pilkington Glass, founded in 1826, which remains a major employer. The Greengate Works continues to pioneer hydrogen-fired glass production. The town also has strong logistics and manufacturing sectors.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 compliance is not optional
Frequently Asked Questions
What inspections does a glass manufacturing operation like Pilkington need?
Glass manufacturing operations like Pilkington's Greengate Works in St Helens require extensive statutory inspections: PSSR examinations for furnace pressure systems and molten tin bath equipment, LOLER thorough examinations for overhead cranes and lifting gear, PUWER inspections for cutting and handling machinery, and LEV testing for any fume extraction systems in the production environment.
Do logistics businesses at Haydock Industrial Estate need LOLER inspections?
Yes. Haydock Industrial Estate is a major logistics hub in the St Helens borough, and all businesses using forklifts, reach trucks, goods lifts, or any other lifting equipment must have thorough examinations under LOLER 1998. Safe-Lee provides LOLER inspection services across the St Helens area.
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.
Our LEV Testing Process
How we work with LEV Testing clients across St Helens: from first contact to ongoing compliance.
- 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 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
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Other Services in St Helens
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