COSHH 2002 · County Durham

LEV testing and certification in Durham

Thorough examination, testing and certification of local exhaust ventilation by a P601 qualified engineer

Durham's laboratories run on fume cupboards, and a fume cupboard is LEV in law: COSHH Regulation 9 puts every one on the 14 month thorough examination and test cycle, with face velocity measured at the working sash, not assumed from the hum of the fan.

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  • Independent & impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly

Extraction we test

Durham, County Durham

  • Welding & soldering fume
  • Wood, MDF & fine dust
  • Fume cupboards & cabinets
  • On-tool & capture hoods
  • Spray booths & paint lines
  • Grinding, polishing & mist
Extraction we test

LEV testing and certification for Durham businesses

Extraction across the city's institutions and businesses runs from banks of laboratory fume cupboards through workshop welding and dust extraction in depots and teaching spaces to kitchen and process ventilation where it serves as a COSHH control, each system on its own fixed clock.

A fume cupboard is tested where the chemist works: face velocity measured across the open sash at working height, containment judged with the airflow pattern, alarms and airflow indicators proven functional, and the sash height at which safe velocity holds marked plainly so users can see it. We test cupboard banks efficiently, one visit covering a building's worth, and report a pass or fail per cupboard with velocities recorded, so every unit carries current proof at its own sash.

Laboratory fume cupboards
Face velocity and containment
Workshop welding and dust LEV
Alarms and airflow indicators
How it works

Booking your LEV test in Durham

Tell us how many cupboards and where. We test each at the working sash, prove alarms and indicators, and report a pass or fail per cupboard with the next due date set.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us about the extraction on your Durham site.

  • 2

    Examination and test

    We measure airflow and capture performance at each hood.

  • 3

    Your report

    You receive a report with measured data and remedial actions.

Wondering what it costs? See what drives an LEV testing quote.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we examine, we do not sell the equipment
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Clear reports issued without delay
  • Single items or whole sites
Areas we cover

LEV testing and certification across Durham and nearby

Our engineer surveyors cover Durham and the towns around it across County Durham. If your site is nearby, we can almost certainly reach you, so just ask.

DurhamFramwellgate MoorBelmontBowburnLangley MoorBrandon
Other inspections in Durham

Related compliance for Durham businesses

Many sites need more than one statutory regime. If you use lifting gear, pressure systems, work equipment or extraction in Durham, we can examine all of it.

LOLER lifting equipment in DurhamView this service PUWER work equipment in DurhamView this service PSSR pressure systems in DurhamView this service
COSHH FAQs

LEV testing and certification: common questions

Do you carry out LEV testing in Durham?
Yes. We test LEV across Durham and the wider County Durham area, covering fume cupboards and workshop LEV. Call us to arrange a visit.
How quickly can you visit Durham?
A Durham visit is usually within a couple of working days, and we time testing around production so lines keep running. Call 0330 043 8191 to book your LEV test.
How often does LEV need to be tested?
Under COSHH Regulation 9 every local exhaust ventilation system must have a thorough examination and test at least every 14 months, and that interval is a legal maximum rather than a target. Higher-risk processes in COSHH Schedule 4 are tested far more often, in some cases monthly or six-monthly; the HSE sets this out in its guidance on LEV examination.
Is LEV testing a legal requirement?
Yes. The duty sits with the employer under COSHH Regulation 9, which requires extraction that controls a hazardous substance to be examined and tested by a competent person, and that responsibility stays with you even when the work is outsourced. You can read the duty in plain terms in our COSHH regulations guide.
What does an LEV thorough examination and test involve?
It is a structured check that the system still controls the contaminant the way it was designed to, not a service or a filter swap. We measure airflow and capture velocity at each hood, check duct velocities, filters and fan condition, and compare every reading against the design data and the HSG258 benchmarks.
Who is qualified to carry out LEV testing?
The HSE expects a competent person, which it links to BOHS-recognised training such as the P601 qualification. Our engineer surveyors hold P601 and report to the HSG258 standard, so the examination stands up to scrutiny.
What is in the LEV report, and how long must I keep it?
You receive the measured airflow and capture data, a pass or fail verdict at each test point, photographs, any remedial actions and the next due date, and it is this report an inspector asks to see rather than a service record. COSHH requires the records to be kept for at least five years, so we log every result against your system.
What happens if my LEV system fails the test?
The report sets out exactly why, for example low airflow, a worn fan or a badly positioned hood, and the remedial work needed to bring it back into adequate control. Once the work is done we can return to re-test and confirm the system is protecting people again.

Due an LEV test or certificate in Durham?

Talk to an engineer surveyor, get a quote and book your inspection in Durham.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote