HSE – LEV Information for Employees and Users
This HSE guidance explains the role employees play in ensuring Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems continue to protect health in the workplace.
Whilst employers have legal responsibilities for providing, maintaining and testing LEV systems, workers are often the first people to identify faults, damage or poor performance. The guidance explains what users should look for, how to recognise signs of failure and how to use LEV correctly during everyday work activities.
Key topics include:
- Understanding what LEV does
- Daily user checks
- Airflow indicators and warning devices
- Recognising signs of poor performance
- Reporting defects
- Correct positioning and use
- Employee training requirements
- User responsibilities
- Annual Thorough Examination and Test (TExT)
This resource is relevant to:
- LEV Users
- Machine Operators
- Welders
- Fabricators
- Woodworkers
- Maintenance Personnel
- Supervisors
- Health & Safety Representatives
- Duty Holders
- Occupational Hygienists
Source Document
View the HSE guidance here:
Source: Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Document Type: Employee Guidance
Status: Current
Last reviewed by LEVCentral: June 2026
LEVCentral Expert Commentary
One of the most common misconceptions surrounding LEV systems is that responsibility for performance rests entirely with the employer, service provider or P601 engineer. In reality, the people who use LEV every day often have the greatest influence on whether it continues to protect health effectively.
HSE’s guidance highlights an important truth: even a perfectly designed and commissioned LEV system can fail to protect workers if it is not used correctly. Operators may position work outside the capture zone, remove guards, ignore warning indicators or continue working despite obvious signs that the system is malfunctioning.
The guidance encourages employees to undertake simple daily checks before using LEV, including:
- Checking airflow indicators.
- Looking for settled dust or visible emissions.
- Noticing unusual noise or vibration.
- Confirming that examination labels remain in date.
- Reporting defects promptly.
From a LEVCentral perspective, this guidance reinforces a principle frequently overlooked within the LEV industry:
Effective exposure control depends as much on user behaviour as it does on engineering design.
Many occupational exposure problems arise not because the LEV system was poorly designed, but because changes in work practices gradually reduce its effectiveness. Operators often develop workarounds, alter working positions or fail to recognise when extraction performance deteriorates.
The document also supports the concept of shared responsibility. Employers must provide suitable LEV, training, maintenance and statutory examination. Employees, however, must use the system correctly and report concerns when performance appears compromised.
For organisations seeking to improve LEV governance, this resource provides an excellent foundation for operator awareness training and toolbox talks.
Key Learning Points
LEV Only Works When Used Correctly
Even well-designed systems may fail to control exposure if operators work outside the effective capture zone.
Daily Checks Matter
Simple visual and operational checks can identify problems before they develop into significant exposure risks.
Airflow Indicators Are Important
Workers should understand what airflow indicators show and what action to take when a warning is triggered.
Report Problems Immediately
Unusual noises, vibration, dust deposits, odours or visible emissions may indicate that the LEV is no longer functioning correctly.
Further Resources
- INDG409 – Time to Clear the Air! A Workers’ Pocket Guide to LEV
- INDG408 – Clearing the Air: A Simple Guide to Buying and Using LEV
- HSG258 – Controlling Airborne Contaminants at Work
- HSE LEV Commissioning Guidance
- HSE LEV Frequently Asked Questions
- LEVCentral Pictograms for LEV TExT Reports
Recommended Learning
- P600 LEV Methods for Testing Performance
- P601 Thorough Examination and Testing of LEV Systems
- P602 LEV Design Principles
- OXY102 Completing LEV TExT Reports
- M200 Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene
Thought Leadership
LEVCentral Observation
This guidance demonstrates that effective LEV is not solely an engineering challenge. Successful exposure control requires competent design, proper commissioning, routine maintenance, statutory testing and informed users who understand how to recognise and report problems. In many workplaces, operators represent the first line of defence against LEV failure.
