COSHH 2002 · LEV

Fixed LEV system testing and examination

Independent thorough examination and test of your fixed lev system as local exhaust ventilation, by a P601 qualified engineer.

A fixed extraction system was commissioned to hit a set of numbers. The question a thorough examination answers is whether it still does, because a permanent system drifts so slowly that nobody notices the day it stopped controlling the dust. We measure it against the figures it started with.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Commissioning benchmarkMeasured against the figures it was set up to hit
Slow driftA fixed system fails quietly, over months not days
The logbookCommissioning data is the baseline the test uses
Every 14 monthsThe COSHH maximum for most systems
Extraction we test

Why your fixed lev system needs LEV testing

A fixed LEV system is built into the workplace, with rigid ducting and hoods bracketed permanently in place, balanced and commissioned when it was installed to prove it met its design figures. Responsibility then passes to the owner to keep it working within those original parameters. Because the hoods do not move, the system in front of you should still match the system that was commissioned, and any change to that is worth finding.

The difficulty is that a fixed system fails slowly. A fan wears, a filter loads, dust accumulates in a length of duct, a damper is knocked, and performance slips a little each month, so there is no single day when anyone notices it has stopped controlling exposure. The only honest test is to measure against the commissioning data, not against a sense that it still seems to be running, which is why the logbook and the original figures matter as much as the readings taken on the day.

Capture velocity at each fixed hood
Duct velocity and balance
Commissioning data comparison
Blast gates and dampers
Filter and fan condition
Discharge and make up air
Unauthorised modifications
Logbook and commissioning report
How it works

How we test your fixed lev system

We ask to see the commissioning report and logbook, then measure capture at each hood and velocity through the ducting and compare the results against the figures the system was set up to hold. We check the blast gates and dampers are where the balance needs them, look for any modification that has changed the system since it was commissioned, and take static pressure readings along the ducting, which show where a partial blockage or a leak has crept in since the system was set up. We then examine the filter, fan and discharge before recording the result.

  • 1

    Read the baseline

    We take the commissioning report and logbook as the benchmark the system was set up to hold.

  • 2

    Measure against it

    We take capture at each hood and duct velocity, then compare against the commissioned figures.

  • 3

    Examine and record

    We check dampers, modifications, filter, fan and discharge, then label the system and report.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • P601 qualified | Tested by an engineer qualified in LEV thorough examination and test.
  • Against the benchmark | Performance measured against the commissioning data, not a vague sense it works.
  • The whole run | Every fixed hood and the ducting between them, where slow drift hides.
  • Clear report | The readings, the comparison and any remedial work, written to act on.
What we test

Fixed LEV system: what a thorough examination and test covers

Commissioned, then forgotten

A fixed system is balanced and proven on the day it is installed, then left to the owner. Without measuring against those original figures, nobody knows how far it has drifted.

Failure without a moment

A fixed system rarely breaks. It slips, a little each month, until it is no longer controlling exposure, with no single day anyone can point to.

The hood that should not have moved

Fixed hoods are meant to stay put. A hood knocked, extended or re-aimed since commissioning no longer captures where it was set to, and that change is a finding.

A damper closed by a passer by

Blast gates balance the system. One nudged the wrong way starves a branch and over pulls another, quietly unbalancing the whole run.

The logbook is the baseline

Without the commissioning data, a test can only say the system runs, not whether it runs as designed. The record is what turns a reading into a verdict.

Permanence is the point, and the trap

A fixed system is reliable precisely because nothing moves, which is also why a slow loss of performance goes unseen until it is measured.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

A fixed LEV system is thoroughly examined and tested at least every fourteen months, and sooner where the process is higher hazard or a risk assessment calls for it. The test compares the capture and duct performance against the figures the system was commissioned to hold, so any drift away from the original design is found and recorded.

14 monthsThe usual maximum interval for a thorough examination and test
MeasuredAirflow and capture tested at every hood, not just the fan
P601Examined by an engineer qualified in LEV testing
ReportedMeasured data and any remedial actions, in writing

You receive an LEV test report with the measured performance and any remedial actions, the record COSHH requires.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full COSHH inspection service

Fixed LEV system is one of the many kinds of equipment we cover. We inspect the full range, across every sector, as an independent provider, one item or a whole site, anywhere in the UK.

See our full COSHH inspection service
Other services

Other statutory inspections we carry out

Many sites run more than one regime. We can examine all of it, under one independent provider.

LOLER inspectionThorough examination and certification of lifting equipment and accessories. PUWER inspectionInspection of work equipment against the five PUWER duties, with a written record. PSSR examinationWritten Schemes and certified examination of pressure systems.
COSHH FAQs

Fixed LEV system testing: common questions

How often does a fixed LEV system need testing?
At least every fourteen months under COSHH Regulation 9, and sooner where the process is higher hazard or a risk assessment calls for it. The HSE sets the expectation in its guidance on local exhaust ventilation.
What do you compare the readings against?
The figures the system was commissioned to hold. Measuring against the original design is what tells you whether a permanent system is still controlling exposure or has quietly drifted.
If nothing moves, why does a fixed system need testing?
Because it fails slowly. Fans wear, filters load and ducts accumulate dust, so performance slips a little each month with no single day anyone notices, until it is measured.
Do you need the logbook and commissioning data?
They help a great deal. Without the baseline a test can only confirm the system runs, not whether it runs as designed, so the commissioning record is what turns a reading into a verdict.
What is balancing?
Setting the blast gates and dampers so the airflow is shared correctly across the system. One damper knocked out of position starves one branch and over pulls another.
What do I receive after the test?
An LEV test report with the measured performance, the comparison against commissioning and any remedial actions, plus a dated label. The duties behind it are in our guide to COSHH.
What if the system has been modified since it was installed?
A hood moved, a branch added or a damper re-set since commissioning changes the system, and that change is recorded as a finding, since the system no longer matches the one that was proven.
How do I book a fixed LEV system test?
Call us on 0330 043 8191 and we will arrange a visit, measure the system against its benchmark and have your report with you within a few days.

Is your fixed lev system due an LEV test?

Talk to an engineer surveyor, get a quote and book your inspection anywhere in the UK.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote