LEV testing: what the 24-month examination checks
Updated: 5 hours ago
Short answer: local exhaust ventilation (LEV) must be thoroughly examined and tested at least every 24 months, by an approved inspection authority. Regulation 12(b) of the Regulations for Hazardous Chemical Agents, 2021 requires thorough examinations and tests of engineering control measures at intervals not exceeding 24 months by an approved inspection authority (AIA), and LEV is one of those controls. The record of each test, and of any repairs that follow, must be kept for at least three years.
The regulations were published as Government Notice R. 280 in Government Gazette 44348 on 29 March 2021 and repealed the Regulations for Hazardous Chemical Substances, 1995. They call LEV "local extraction ventilation systems". The 24-month test adds to a continuing duty to keep every control in good working order. Where the Lead Regulations or the Asbestos Abatement Regulations apply, these regulations do not (regulation 2(3)). For lead work, regulation 14(b) of the Lead Regulations sets a similar 24-month test; for asbestos work, check the Asbestos Abatement Regulations.
What the regulations require
Use (regulation 10(2)(e)(ii)): where reasonably practicable, exposure must be controlled by engineering measures that may include "the installation of local extraction ventilation systems to processes, equipment and tools for the control of emissions of an airborne HCA".
Written instructions (regulation 10(2)(f)(ii)): work procedures must include written instructions to ensure that local extraction and general ventilation systems "are safely used and maintained".
Maintenance (regulation 12(a)): all control equipment and facilities must be "maintained in good working order".
Examination and test (regulation 12(b)): "thorough examinations and tests of engineering control measures are carried out at intervals not exceeding 24 months by an approved inspection authority".
Records (regulation 9(g)): keep, "for at least three years, a record of the investigations and tests carried out in terms of regulation 12(b) and of any repairs resulting from these investigations and tests".
Regulation 12(b) does not list what the examination must include, so its scope comes from good practice.
What a thorough examination and test checks
A good examination tests the system against the performance recorded when it was commissioned or last tested. It covers:
The system record: a description of each hood, duct, air cleaner, fan and discharge, and the baseline airflows and pressures to compare against.
Visual examination: hoods that are damaged or have been moved away from the source; ducts that are dented, holed, blocked or disconnected; worn flexible hoses; and the condition of the fan and filter.
Capture at the hood: smoke tests, or a dust lamp for fine dust and fume, show whether the contaminant is drawn in where it is released. Face velocity is measured at booths and enclosures, and capture velocity at the working position of hoods such as extraction arms.
Duct velocity: the air speed in the ducts, which needs to be high enough to keep dust moving rather than settling.
Static pressures: at each hood, across the filter and at the fan, compared with the baseline to find blockages, leaks or a loaded filter.
The discharge: where the extracted air goes, so that it is not drawn back into the building.
How it is used: whether operators position the hood correctly, and whether airflow indicators, where fitted, show normal readings.
The report should state, hood by hood, whether the system controls the contaminant, and list the defects to fix.
When a system fails
Repair and retest: fix the defects, retest the affected hoods and record the repairs, which regulation 9(g) requires you to keep.
Protect people meanwhile: the duty to control exposure continues. Where adequate control is not reasonably practicable, regulation 11(1) requires suitable respiratory protective equipment.
Review the exposure assessment: regulation 5(5) requires an immediate review if there is reason to suspect the previous assessment is no longer valid, or if the equipment or procedures used to control the agent change.
Confirm exposure: after major repairs, air monitoring by an AIA (regulation 6) can confirm that exposure is controlled again.
Between examinations, operators should check that the system runs and its airflow indicators read normally, and keep a logbook of checks and repairs.
A quick self-check
List every LEV system on site: welding extraction, spray booths, dust collectors, fume cupboards and on-tool extraction.
Find the last examination report for each. Is it less than 24 months old, and was it done by an AIA?
Check that reports and repair records go back at least three years.
Confirm that every defect in the last report was repaired, and the repair recorded.
Check that written instructions exist for using and maintaining each system, and that operators know them.
Have any system that was extended, altered or moved since its last test examined again.
How Qualitas can help
Qualitas Occupational Consulting is a Department of Employment and Labour Approved Inspection Authority and a SANAS-accredited (ISO/IEC 17020) inspection body for asbestos, lead, noise and hazardous chemical agents. Our approvals for hazardous chemical agents and lead cover the examinations and tests in HCA regulation 12(b) and lead regulation 14(b), so our local exhaust ventilation surveys can serve as your 24-month statutory test. Each one evaluates the system's design, condition and operation, measures airflow and capture velocity, and identifies where contaminants may escape control, in a report written for management, SHEQ teams and auditors.
Where a test raises doubt about exposure, our hazardous chemical agents surveys measure what employees breathe. See also welding fume monitoring and how often hazardous chemical agent monitoring must be done.
Not sure what your site needs? Start with our free Compliance Gap Analysis, request a quote, or call or WhatsApp 082 649 6599.
This article summarises the Regulations for Hazardous Chemical Agents, 2021 (Government Notice R. 280, Government Gazette 44348, 29 March 2021) for general guidance. It is not legal advice; refer to the regulations for the full requirements.
Christo de Wet is a SAIOH-registered occupational hygienist with 15 years' experience and the founder of Qualitas Occupational Consulting.
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