COSHH 2002 · LEV

Glovebox and Isolator Thorough Examination

Independent thorough examination and test of your glovebox and isolator as local exhaust ventilation, by a P601 qualified engineer.

A glovebox promises to keep a hazardous substance on its side of the glass, and a pinhole in a glove quietly breaks that promise. We carry out LEV testing and COSHH thorough examination of gloveboxes and isolators, measuring the containment and airflow that keep the operator on the safe side.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
14 monthsLEV testing under COSHH Regulation 9 at least every 14 months
ContainmentThe pressure regime and glove integrity are the whole point of the test
P601Examined by BOHS P601 competent engineer surveyors
HSG258Measured against the HSE benchmarks for local exhaust ventilation
Extraction we test

Why your glovebox and isolator needs LEV testing

A glovebox or isolator is containment turned into a workspace: an enclosure the operator reaches into through fixed gloves, held under a controlled air regime so that whatever is inside stays inside. Pharmaceutical and laboratory isolators run negative to protect the operator from potent compounds, while some containment runs positive to protect the product, and either way the LEV that maintains that regime is what COSHH Regulation 9 puts on a thorough examination and test.

The containment fails at the details. A glove worn to a pinhole, a door or transfer hatch seal that no longer seals, a filter loaded past its capacity, or an extract fan drifting below its duty all breach the enclosure without any visible drama. The test measures the airflow and pressure regime against the design and the HSG258 benchmarks, and examines the gloves, seals and transfer systems that the numbers alone would miss.

Pharmaceutical isolators
Laboratory gloveboxes
Containment isolators
Weighing and dispensing isolators
Gloves and glove ports
Transfer hatches and airlocks
HEPA filters and housings
Extract fans and pressure controls
How it works

How we test your glovebox and isolator

Our P601 engineer surveyor measures the enclosure pressure regime and airflow against the design, tests the inward or outward integrity as the application demands, examines every glove and port for pinholes and perishing, checks transfer hatch and airlock seals, assesses HEPA filter loading and housing integrity, and verifies the extract fan duty and pressure alarms, recording each reading against the HSG258 criteria.

  • 1

    Measure the containment

    The pressure regime and airflow are measured against the design, because the enclosure only protects anyone while those numbers hold.

  • 2

    Examine the breach points

    Gloves, port seals and transfer hatches are examined individually, since a single pinhole defeats a perfect airflow reading.

  • 3

    Report and set the date

    The LEV test report records the measured data, a verdict at each point, photographs and the next test date, filed in your SEIS portal.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • P601 competent surveyors who understand containment, not just extraction
  • Glove and seal integrity examined item by item, not sampled
  • Measured pressure and airflow data against HSG258, with photographs
  • Reports and 14 month reminders through the SEIS client portal
What we test

Glovebox and isolator: what a thorough examination and test covers

Glove pinholes

A worn glove is the classic containment breach, invisible until it is tested. Every glove and port is examined for pinholes, thinning and perishing.

Pressure regime

Negative for operator protection, positive for product: the regime must hold at the design differential. It is measured, and drift outside the band is a defect.

Transfer hatches and airlocks

The point where material crosses the boundary is where containment is most easily lost. Hatch seals and interlock sequences are examined and tested.

HEPA filter loading

A filter past its capacity chokes airflow and can shed collected contaminant. Loading, seating and housing integrity are assessed at the filter face.

Extract fan duty

The fan holding the whole regime drifts as it wears and the filter loads. Its duty is measured against design, not assumed from the panel.

Alarm and monitoring

Pressure and airflow alarms are the operator's warning that containment has failed. Their set points and function are verified as part of the test.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

Every glovebox and isolator receives an LEV test report under COSHH Regulation 9, prepared by a P601 competent person against the HSG258 benchmarks. It records the measured pressure and airflow at each point, the condition of gloves, seals and filters, a pass or fail verdict, photographs of the test points, any remedial actions and the next test date, which is at most 14 months away. All reports live in your SEIS client portal for audits, insurers and inspectors.

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

Glovebox and isolator 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

Glovebox and isolator testing: common questions

Does a glovebox or isolator need LEV testing under COSHH?
Yes. Where a glovebox or isolator uses ventilation to control a hazardous substance it is local exhaust ventilation under COSHH, and Regulation 9 requires a thorough examination and test at least every 14 months by a competent person.
How often must the examination be carried out?
At least every 14 months as a legal maximum, and more often where the risk assessment or the substances handled call for it. The test report states the next due date.
What is actually measured on an isolator?
The pressure regime and airflow against the design, the inward or outward integrity, and the condition of gloves, seals, hatches and filters. Numbers and physical examination together, because either alone can miss a breach.
Why do the gloves matter so much?
Because a single pinhole in a glove breaks the containment the whole enclosure exists to provide, without changing any pressure reading in an obvious way. Every glove is examined individually for that reason.
Who is qualified to test our isolators?
A competent person meeting the HSG258 criteria, which the HSE links to BOHS training such as the P601 qualification. Our LEV surveyors hold that competence.
Is an isolator test the same as a fume cupboard test?
The framework is the same COSHH Regulation 9 examination, but the isolator adds glove and containment integrity that a fume cupboard does not have. Related open fronted containment is covered on our fume cupboard thorough examination page.
Where do these duties come from?
From COSHH 2002, with the examination duty in Regulation 9 and the method in HSG258. HSE guidance on LEV examination sets out the requirement, and our COSHH regulations guide explains the test, intervals and records.
How do I book a glovebox or isolator examination?
Call 0330 043 8191 or use the contact form with the number and type of units. We test single isolators and whole suites, and schedule the 14 month cycle for you.

Is your glovebox and isolator 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