Page 28 - BOSS Today Issue 38

ENVIRONMENT

CLEARING

THE AIR

ocal Exhaust Ventilation What Does The Law Say? When a LEV system does not substance. The training must
L(LEV) is an engineering You must control the risks to work, it is likely that the hood also cover how the LEV system
control system that reduces employees from substances is not capturing or containing works, and the consequences
exposure to airborne in the workplace. Control of the contaminants effectively. if something goes wrong.
contaminants such as Substances Hazardous to LEV systems require
dust and fumes, removing Health (COSHH) Regulations a statutory ‘thorough A daily checklist should
them from the air and 2005 says LEV may help to inspection and testing’ by a highlight the following:
preventing their entry do this. However, the correct competent person at least n The indicator shows that
into the workplace. system must be installed and once every 14 months. the LEV is working
Thousands of people be fit for purpose, and this will n Signs that the LEV is not
die in the UK every year of require good understanding What Training Is Required? working correctly, such as
work-related lung diseases, of the ‘process and sources’. Training must cover the harmful smells or settled dust
or get asthma from airborne ‘Process’ means the way the nature of the substances in n Harmful dust, and fumes
contaminants. Under the airborne contaminants are use, and how exposure may are not being extracted
duty of care, the employer generated, and the ‘source’ occur. Information is available n Check the system is
must provide a LEV system is where contaminates are from the Material Safety Data being tested, with a label
to protect employees. generated by the process. Sheet supplied with each showing it is in date
n Report anything that
may be wrong

What Else Can I Do?
Listen to employees and check
on their well-being. Health
surveillance identifies the
potential for health and issues
arising from contaminants in
the workplace. A Lung Function
Test for employees at risk would
identify risk from asthma or
substance-related illness. Air
Monitoring within high risk
areas would identify issues and
put employees’ minds at rest.
Hood - where the contaminate cloud enters the LEV, and which should be fitted very close to the source n BOTH OF THESE
Ducting - carries airborne particles away from the process
Air cleaners - clean and filter the extracted contaminated air SERVICES ARE PROVIDED
Air Mover - the engine that powers the extraction system. This is usually a fan, but this must be of the THROUGH BOSS SPECIALIST
right size and type to deliver sufficient draw to the hood SERVICES. FOR MORE
Discharge - releases the extracted air to a safe place DETAILS VISIT WWW.
BOSSFEDERATION.CO.UK

28 BOSS TODAY | December 2017/January 2018