Sometimes it’s imperative that we go above and beyond so as to ensure that critical areas of health and safety protocols, procedures and practices are adhered to. Especially when employee and general public wellbeing is potentially at stake. Shutting the gate after the horse has bolted so to speak, simply isn’t acceptable when it’s human health and safety we’re focusing on; and said proverbial gate should not only be shut well in advance of anything but firmly locked. One such instance is when we’re talking about businesses installing extraction systems which act to counter the risks posed by the presence of dust and fumes found in the immediate atmosphere. It’s all very well acquiring an all singing, all dancing extraction system in the workplace, however instigating a regular testing schedule is equally key to both short and long term employee wellbeing. And furthermore acts as a routine safeguard when it comes to instilling confidence and peace of mind within certain employment scenarios.
So, just what are the Primary Advantages of Completing Routine LEV Testing?
Predominantly the advantages are two-fold. In as much as maintaining a robust LEV testing regime pays dividends from an operational viewpoint as much as a financial one, which we’ll explain in more detail beneath. More than this, it’s an employer’s responsibility to carry out regular tests on an LEV system. Or to give it its full name; a Local Exhaust Ventilation system.
Also think of it akin to ownership of a car. To make sure that your car keeps running like clockwork and not pose any problems to you during your tenure, then it’s prudent to have it serviced on a regular basis. Failure to do this might well lead to any underlying issues raising their head and putting a spanner in the works. Not to mention costing a small fortune to find a solution to.
Think of LEV testing with the same level of convictions, and you’ll be in the same ball park as us. Only neglecting this hugely important area, could well impact the health of employees, rather than simply inconvenience an owner/driver when their car experiences unforeseen mechanical troubles.
Nobody would disagree that keeping the air in which we breathe in our immediate environment clean is paramount, yet when you consider for a moment the other ramifications of not keeping on top of LEV system governance, the cons quickly mount up. Cons which apart from staff being exposed to possibly damaging air include the likes of leak risk (hazardous substances could infiltrate public places out of sight if facility checks aren’t performed with regularity) and invalidated warranties with regards to the original installation of your system; not to mention the impact any unpredicted downtown might have on company revenue as those parties responsible move to resolve the issues.
As we’ve already implied, the regular testing of LEV’s falls under the remit of an employer, and as such it’s their prerogative to ensure that the system is properly maintained and fit for purpose at all times. These can involve fundamental pre-facilitation checks and expand to take in more far-reaching and thorough maintenance inspections as specified by Health and Safety law-makers. This constant monitoring is required to determine if systems are performing to their optimum and therein that the quality of employee/public health isn’t being compromised by a lacklustre approach to LEV governance in the workplace.
It’s Not Just Employee Health and Safety that’s at Risk from Substandard LEV Testing
Having discussed employee-focusing health and safety issues which may arise from poorly maintained LEV systems, we must now turn our attentions to the matter of the closely-linked operational and financial perspective. From an economical stance, it’s imperative that a company follows LEV testing protocol to the letter, otherwise they may find themselves in danger of losing a serious amount of income-generation should the system be deemed unsafe after an official COSHH inspection and be forced into a temporary shut down until such time as the underlying issues are resolved to a standard which appeases the powers that be. The sudden curtailing of manufacturing processes for example (based on extraction installations not functioning properly/safely), could result in a drop-off in a company’s ability to continue being financially solvent in more serious and on-going situations that develop without warning.
Hence the need for businesses of all shapes and sizes to keep on top of their game and not to lose sight of the importance of regular LEV testing.