BOHS “Good Practice Guide for Consultants”

LEVCentral Expert Commentary

This guide is highly relevant to the LEV sector because many of the same professional weaknesses seen in Occupational Hygiene Consultancy are also seen in LEV design, commissioning, testing and reporting.

BOHS emphasises that competence is not simply a qualification; it includes training, experience, supervision, CPD and quality assurance.  The guide also makes clear that trainees and technicians should not be allowed to operate beyond their competence without adequate supervision.

For LEV work, the most important parallel is report quality.  BOHS states that reports should not merely present results, but should provide clear conclusions and recommendations that help the duty holder reduce exposure and comply with relevant legislation.

The guide also supports a defensible approach to consultancy governance: quotations should be properly scoped, sampling strategies should be risk-based, work should be reviewed by competent senior staff, and reports should be subject to quality control before issue.

Further Resources

• BOHS Buyer’s Guide for Occupational Hygiene Services
• HSG258 – Controlling Airborne Contaminants at Work
• HSG173 – Monitoring Strategies for Toxic Substances
• BOHS Clear and Concise Report Writing Guidance
• COSHH Approved Code of Practice L5

Recommended Learning

• M200 Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene
• P601 Thorough Examination and Testing of LEV Systems
• P602 LEV Design Principles
• P604 LEV Performance Evaluation and Management

Thought Leadership

• Preparing Effective TExT Reports
• LEV Governance and Duty Holder Assurance