Most of us have some form of “ventilation” used as an “engineering control” in our workplaces. This is sound advice from our friends “across the pond” in the UK…
Note: although they are on a different continent and at a different latitude and longitude, airborne contaminants behave the same as in other countries on this planet.
Thorough examination and testing of LEV
The purpose of LEV testing is to demonstrate that the LEV remains in an efficient state, in efficient working order, in good repair and in clean condition, therefore, all significant failings should be reported.
Significant failings may include:
⚠️ inadequate contaminant capture or containment
⚠️ enclosing hood failing to contain the contaminant cloud;
⚠️ receiving hood failing to intercept or contain the contaminant cloud;
⚠️ capturing hood failing to capture the contaminant cloud, e.g., the capture zone does not encompass all of the working zone where the contaminant cloud is generated
⚠️ inadequate air flows (i.e., reduced or no detectable airflow)
⚠️ badly damaged ducting and hoods
⚠️ blocked ductwork
⚠️ damaged or missing filters
Unless the systems are explicitly marked as failed or ‘Unsatisfactory’, action is unlikely to be taken to rectify the problem, putting worker health at risk.
As a regulator, HSE may become interested in the actions or inactions of the test engineer. Not failing an unsatisfactory system provides false assurance to those using the system and allows unsafe conditions to persist. As a specialist, it is the test engineer’s role to alert the LEV owner to any deficiencies identified in their systems.