Dust Filter Service Engineers – RPE Guidance

This post and its attachments are free for everyone. If you know any service engineers working with LEV systems, please share this. We want all service engineers to understand the risks they face—and the level of protection they should expect as a right, not a favour.

Why we’re doing this

We’ve seen it too many times: service engineers changing dust filters, working in clouds of toxic particulate matter, wearing little more than a paper mask—if that.

Since raising this issue, more engineers have come forward. Quietly. Privately. Saying they were never told the risks. Saying they’ve done this work for years, breathing in dust without knowing what’s in it. That’s horrifying.

This isn’t about scare tactics—it’s about facts. These dusts aren’t harmless. We’re talking about:

Occupational asthma
COPD
Nasal and lung cancers
Silicosis
Heavy metal toxicity

This isn’t theoretical. It’s happening right now. To real people. On real jobs.

This post is different

We’ve created a practical document for service engineers—and more importantly, one for employers. Because while engineers are the ones wearing the mask, employers are legally responsible for protecting them.

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (CoSHH), employers must:

Assess the risks
Prevent or control exposure
Provide the correct respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
Maintain and inspect that equipment
Deliver training and health surveillance

And this isn’t optional—it’s the law. Failure to follow it puts lives at risk and violates regulatory requirements.

Stop handing out disposable masks for dangerous jobs

We need to be crystal clear: FFP3s aren’t enough. They clog. They leak. They fall short of the level of protection required in high-dust tasks like LEV filter changes. Especially when facial hair, long task duration, or heat are involved.

The gold standard? Positive pressure, full-face protection.

Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR)
Airfed respirators

These offer double the protection of FFP3s—and they work with facial hair, offer longer wear time, and reduce eye and skin exposure.

For employers reading this:

This isn’t just a call-out. It’s a call to responsibility.

If you manage or employ LEV service engineers, ask yourself:

Are you using a proper risk assessment for filter changes?
Are you selecting RPE based on real-world conditions, not budget?
Are you maintaining and checking RPE equipment regularly?
Are your engineers trained—not just in what to wear, but why?

If the answer to any of those is “no”—you’ve got work to do. And now you have a resource to help you.

We’re sharing an Employer Guidance Document—including an RPE checklist, example risk assessment, and practical advice—based on CoSHH and HSE’s Five Steps to Risk Assessment. Use it. Act on it.

For service engineers:

If you’ve ever felt unsafe doing your job—this post is for you.

You’re not asking for too much. You’re asking for the legal minimum. You’re asking to go home with the lungs you started your shift with. And we stand with you.

We’re also sharing A Practical Guide to RPE for LEV Service Engineers—a straight-talking, no-fluff resource written by engineers, for engineers. It cuts through the jargon and focuses on what matters: real-world protection that actually works in the field. From explaining why positive-pressure full-face masks beat paper FFP3s every time, to practical tips on donning, doffing, and maintaining your gear—it’s built to educate, empower, and help engineers challenge unsafe practices with confidence.

For everyone else:

Please share this. Loudly. Widely. Let’s get this into the hands of the engineers who need it, and the employers who should already know better.

We’ve also reached out to BOHS, and while formal support is still in progress, we’re not waiting. Because every delay is another risk someone doesn’t come back from.

Let’s demand better.

The guides are free to download here:

A Practical Guide to RPE for LEV Service Engineers_March 2025

Employer_Guidance_LEV_Respiratory_Protection_Dry dust filter media changes_2025_v.1.1