HSE Web Pages – LEV FAQs

Answers to the Most Common Questions About Local Exhaust Ventilation

LEVCentral Expert Commentary

The HSE LEV Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page is one of the most practical resources available for employers, Duty Holders and LEV practitioners. Rather than introducing new guidance, it provides clear answers to many of the questions HSE inspectors are regularly asked about competence, commissioning, Thorough Examination and Testing (TExT), LEV labels, maintenance and employer responsibilities.

Although each answer is relatively short, together they clarify many of the misunderstandings that commonly arise when organisations purchase, commission or manage LEV systems. The page complements HSG258 and INDG408 by explaining what the guidance means in practice rather than simply describing the legal requirements.

One of the strengths of the FAQs is that they emphasise that LEV management is an ongoing process rather than a one-off event. Installing an LEV system is only the beginning. Employers remain responsible for ensuring that systems are commissioned, routinely checked, maintained and thoroughly examined throughout their working life.

View HSE FAQs

View HSE LEV Frequently Asked Questions

Topics Covered

The FAQs are grouped into several practical areas, including:

Topic	Examples of Questions Answered
Competence	What does competence mean? How do I find a competent LEV supplier or examiner? Does attending a training course make someone competent?
Commissioning	Why should an LEV system be commissioned? What information should be available after commissioning?
Thorough Examination & Test (TExT)	Why is TExT required? Who can carry it out? What information does the examiner need?
LEV Labels	Why are test labels used? Should failed systems be labelled? Are labels mandatory?
Employer Responsibilities	What records should be kept? How long should records be retained? What happens if defects are found?

Each answer links back to the relevant HSE guidance where readers require more detailed information.

Key Learning Points

The FAQs reinforce several important messages:

Competence involves knowledge, practical skills and experience—not simply attending a training course.
Employers remain legally responsible for ensuring their LEV adequately controls exposure.
LEV systems should be commissioned so there is evidence of their intended performance.
Thorough Examination and Testing should compare current performance against the original commissioning or design criteria.
Examination reports should clearly identify defects and recommend practical remedial actions.
Examination records must be retained for at least five years.
Routine maintenance and user checks remain essential between statutory examinations.
Test labels provide a simple visual indication of the examination status of the system.
Where a system fails, prompt corrective action should be taken before normal use continues.

Source Document Information

Organisation: Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

Document: LEV – Frequently Asked Questions

Document Type: HSE Online Guidance

Primary Topics: LEV, Competence, Commissioning, Thorough Examination & Testing, Maintenance, LEV Labels

Audience: Duty Holders, Employers, LEV Designers, LEV Test Engineers, Occupational Hygienists, Health & Safety Professionals and LEV Users.

LEVCentral Perspective

One of the most valuable aspects of the HSE FAQ page is that it addresses the practical questions employers ask after reading HSG258.

For example, HSE makes it clear that competence cannot be demonstrated by qualifications alone. A training course is valuable, but competence is achieved through an appropriate combination of knowledge, practical skills and relevant experience. This aligns closely with LEVCentral’s long-standing view that qualifications should be regarded as evidence of learning rather than proof of competence.

The FAQs also reinforce the importance of commissioning. A Thorough Examination and Test can only determine whether an LEV system continues to perform adequately if there is reliable information describing how it was intended to perform in the first place. This supports the principles set out in the OXYL8 Defensible Commissioning Framework™, where commissioning establishes the performance benchmark against which future examinations are assessed.

Another useful clarification concerns LEV labels. HSE explains that labels are recommended because they provide operators and supervisors with an immediate indication of the examination status of the system and can also identify systems that should not be used until defects have been rectified.

Further Resources

Recommended Learning

Thought Leadership

The HSE FAQ page demonstrates that the biggest challenges in LEV management are often not technical—they are practical.

Questions such as “Who is competent?”, “Why do I need commissioning?” and “What should happen if my LEV fails?” arise repeatedly because employers are trying to understand how to discharge their legal responsibilities in everyday situations.

From a LEVCentral perspective, the FAQs reinforce an important principle: effective LEV management depends on clear responsibilities, competent people and documented evidence. These three elements underpin every successful LEV programme and are central to achieving defensible compliance under COSHH.

Rather than introducing new requirements, the FAQ page explains how existing HSE guidance should be applied in practice, making it one of the most useful supporting resources available for anyone responsible for Local Exhaust Ventilation.