Compliance LEV News

Company fined £15,000 for wood dust failures.

In June 2022 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) raised concerns about how a firm producing timber barns and stables, protected employees from wood dust exposure.

The company were served with improvement notices requiring them to assess the effectiveness of the local exhaust ventilation (LEV) fitted to a chop saw. They were also instructed to implement additional controls around the use of a table saw.

A later follow up inspection found that the company had failed to take the appropriate steps required to comply with the notices.

As a result they were found guilty of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002.

The company was ordered to pay a fine of £15,000 and legal costs of £4,500.

The investigating HSE inspector stated “Compliance could have been achieved by simply getting a LEV fitted to the circular table saw and getting a competent person to undertake a thorough examination and test of the LEV on the chop saw.”

During 2022/23 the HSE found that 78% of the businesses it inspected were not complying with their responsibility to adequately protect workers from wood dust exposure.

Wood dust can cause serious and irreversible health problems such as asthma, dermatitis, and in extreme cases a rare form of nasal cancer.

Managers responsible for work tasks which generate wood dust must ensure that there are adequate controls in place to protect employees and others from the risks. This includes provision of effective extraction systems in workshops or on-tool extraction to reduce wood dust at source.

Contact Compliance LEV for all you local exhaust ventilation needs. Don’t let this be your company.
https://www.compliancelev.co.uk/contact-us/

New Local Exhaust Ventilation System, HVAC & Vacuum Extract Infrastructure Project completed in Morpeth, Northumberland.

#PiramalMorpeth has now completed a £1.5m Investment in new local exhaust ventilation systems (LEV) and HVAC safe change filters across the site to reduce exposure risk during production and routine LEV/HVAC maintenance tasks. Working with Compliance LEV and Viridis Safety Ltd. we have developed and introduced new combined Technical Testing and Industrial Hygiene assessments carried out with Equipment in Use.

Compliance LEV carried out a comprehensive survey of all existing LEV, HVAC and vacuum extract infrastructure, and used this to create a new LEV portal consisting of an LEV register which hyperlinks each LEV capture point to related intelligent layout drawings, photographs and test results.

Compliance LEV have also delivered the #BOHS endorsed “Local Exhaust Ventilation ‘LEV’ Awareness” training course to more than 50 Piramal staff with more sessions scheduled for 2024.

Big thanks to the #Piramal Engineering and EHS team and also a big shout out to Compliance LEV, Dale Taylor and Viridis Safety Ltd. Rupert Balfry who have been instrumental in delivering this work. Also thanks to ROFLOW Ltd for the equipment installations.

……..High praise indeed from Martin Graham, Director of Engineering, Facilities & IT at Piramal Pharma Solutions, Morpeth.

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/martin-graham-48402841_piramalmorpeth-bohs-piramal-activity-7185939384917991425-RFu8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

#LEV, #occupationalhygiene, #industrialhygiene, #BOHS, #Containmentimprovements, #HVACSafechangefilters

Oil Mist Washable Filters

Our Engineer’s are completing 6 monthly service on our oil mist systems as part of a PPM contract. These washable filters reduce service time on site, waste to landfill, manufacturing costs, and transport.

Our systems were independently verified to save 1 ton of carbon emissions and £1,100 in energy cost versus the previous oil mist systems.

#oilmist #metalworkingfluids #HSE #levscotland #circulareconomy #energyreduction #carbonreduction #businessesinscotland

New Facility Update – LEV goes Local!

Our new facility in Mauchline, Ayrshire is coming on leaps and bounds. First story storage area underway, creating valuable extra storage for our LEV machines, ducting and spares. A one stop shop for all your company’s local exhaust ventilation needs, be it oil mist, stone dust, weld fume, flour dust.

The guys at Doon Property Maintenance are hammering on…..get it, hammering on!

JW Grant | Builders Merchants | Glasgow, Paisley, Coatbridge, Kilmarnock, Maryhill

Ve-Tech Concrete | Steel Fabrication, Construction, Mixed Concrete (vetech-concrete.co.uk)

Portable Nederman LEV System Service.

Full service of a Portable Nederman System for controlling stone dust, Respirable Crystalline Silica, RCS.  New main filter, New Hepa and crucially the hood has been tested and labelled to show the operator their effective capture distance.  The LEV is only as good as the PPM Schedule and Operator Information Training.  Compliance LEV are BOHS endorsed training providers.

Metalwork, Oil Mist, Stone Dust, Weld Fume, Wood Dust ….. we’ve got the solution. Compliance LEV are committed to keeping you and your Company compliant.

Two new portable weld fume extractors delivered, set up and full training given on capture, positioning, maintenance and compliance of the LEV systems.

Compliance LEV design, install and commission all types of weld fume LEV from brief case sized portable units and centralised systems.

If you want to be compliant use Compliance LEV Ltd.

The training undertaken was received with enthusiasm. Compliance LEV are BOHS endorsed training providers for LEV Operator Awareness across the UK via the Compliance Academy.

HSE Metalworking inspections have started

A very important read: Machinists and metalworking fluid – Work Right to keep Britain safe

Contact Compliance LEV today! Stay compliant.

HSE ebulletin

HSE ebulletin Issued: 2 October 2023

Metalworking inspections have started From October until March 2024, HSE will be inspecting manufacturing businesses that use metalworking fluids or coolants in their machining processes. Inspectors will be focused on how employers are ensuring workers are protected from exposure to fluid or mist generated by computer numerical control (CNC) machines and that regular health checks are in place.   There are 3 areas where manufacturing companies, particularly smaller companies, commonly fall down on compliance: – not having Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) – not completing regular fluid quality checks – not providing regular health checks for lung and skin conditions.  Be prepared for inspection Metalworking fluid is a hazardous substance that comes under COSHH regulations (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002).   Exposure to metalworking fluids can cause harm to lungs and skin through inhalation or direct contact with unprotected skin; particularly hands, forearms and face. Breathing in the mist generated by machining can lead to lung diseases such as occupational asthma and occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis.   To reduce exposure, you need control measures in place. LEV should be fitted on CNC machines to carry away any harmful metalworking fluid mist, which is difficult to see in normal lighting.   Fluid quality should be regularly checked, focusing on concentration, pH, bacteria and contaminants. Fluid systems can become highly contaminated with harmful bacteria.   Where there is exposure to fluid or mist, it is a legal requirement to carry out health surveillance even when preventative controls are in place. You will need to involve an occupational health professional and workers should be encouraged to report any health symptoms that occur.

The sky’s the limit for Compliance LEV

The sky’s the limit. Our new build premise is well on it’s way.