The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 state that exposure to hazardous substances must be avoided completely, or adequately controlled where this is not practicable. The Regulations require control measures to follow a strict hierarchy and engineering solutions must be applied for the control of exposure before the use of personal protective equipment is considered.
Effective LEV or dust/fume extraction can carry away airborne contaminants before they can be breathed in.
Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems can provide a very effective means of exposure control.
LEV systems capture airborne contaminants at the point of generation, preventing inhalation by workers in the vicinity. They vary in complexity, ranging from a simple single-point extract serving a single machine or process to complex multi-point installations serving several machines. However the basic elements are:
(i) a hood or collector to capture the contaminant close to the point of generation
(ii) ductwork to convey the contaminant away from the source
(iii) a filter or air cleaning device to remove contaminant from the extracted airstream
(iv) a fan or air moving device to provide the necessary air flow
(v) ductwork to discharge cleaned air to the external atmosphere at a suitable point.
Effective LEV or dust/fume extraction can carry away airborne contaminants before they can be breathed in.
Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems can provide a very effective means of exposure control.
LEV systems capture airborne contaminants at the point of generation, preventing inhalation by workers in the vicinity. They vary in complexity, ranging from a simple single-point extract serving a single machine or process to complex multi-point installations serving several machines. However the basic elements are:
(i) a hood or collector to capture the contaminant close to the point of generation
(ii) ductwork to convey the contaminant away from the source
(iii) a filter or air cleaning device to remove contaminant from the extracted airstream
(iv) a fan or air moving device to provide the necessary air flow
(v) ductwork to discharge cleaned air to the external atmosphere at a suitable point.