Thursday 17 March 2011

Local Exhaust Ventilation Testing


Thousands of British workers contract occupational asthma and other occupational lung diseases each year. They develop them because they breathe in too much dust, fume or other airborne contaminants at work. Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems are commonly used to control these exposures, but they must be thoroughly tested.

OCCHNET LTD

OCCHNET is a fully independent occupational health, safety and environmental consultancy, formed to meet the need for a professional, reliable and cost effective service to industry. It provides expert advice and practical assistance on chemical and physical hazards both in, and from, the workplace, and can offer a wide range of services and training courses to clients to help them meet the requirements of UK legislation.

Local Exhaust Ventilation Testing


Regulation 9(2) of COSHH requires a thorough examination and test of all local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems, normally every 14 months.

To fully comply with Regulation 9 may require the following for each LEV system: -

a)         capture velocity measurements at each extraction point
b)        air flow measurements in each duct
c)         determination of which branches in a multi-branch system can be used at the same time
d)        static pressures at key positions
e)         fan speed and rotation
f)         the adequacy of make-up air
g)         whether the contaminant was returned to the workplace.   
                       
Performance criteria should be set for each system and the actual performance compared with those criteria.

The comprehensive set of base-line data listed above is called a Part I examination or "fingerprinting". Subsequent tests in future years (Part II examinations) ensure that the systems have not deteriorated since the previous examination.

OCCHNET LTD undertakes Part I & Part II thorough examination and testing of the LEV systems.

 
Contact Occhnet on LEV testing or any other services for cost effective and professionally qualified solutions.


Telephone: 01994 232977
Fax: 01994 232976
Email: info@occhnet.co.uk
Web: www.occhnet.co.uk

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