From pharmaceuticals and food prep to aerospace and vehicle engineering, Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems are there to keep staff safe across a wide range of industries. If your LEV performance begins to slip, the consequences can be serious. That’s why spotting the early signs of poor ventilation is critical.
In this post, we explore some of the most common warning signs of a failing system. Find out why they matter and what you can do to keep your workplace air safe and compliant.
Why It’s Crucial to Monitor Your LEV Performance
Monitoring your LEV system’s performance is vital for maintaining staff health, keeping legally compliant, and continuing business operations. Here are the key reasons you need fully functioning equipment:
Staff Health: When you have poor ventilation in your premises, staff become exposed to hazardous substances, which can lead to respiratory problems, skin irritation, and long-term illnesses such as occupational asthma or silicosis.
Legal compliance: In the UK, you are legally required to control exposure to airborne contaminants. If your LEV system is failing, you risk hefty fines, enforcement action, or even prosecution.
Business continuity: The downtime that’s caused by unsafe conditions or equipment failure can disrupt your production and damage your business’s reputation.
As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to recognise when LEV performance is declining so that you can stay ahead of any problems and avoid having a crisis on your hands.
Early Signs of Poor Ventilation in LEV Systems
So, what are the early warning signs of system failure? Keep an eye out for the following:
1. Reduced Airflow with Visible Dust or Fume Build-Up
A common early indicator that your LEV performance is declining is weakened suction at the hood or capture point. If you or your staff notice dust or fumes lingering in the area or settling instead of being drawn away, airflow may be compromised. This is often due to clogged filters, blocked ductwork, or worn-out fans. A properly functioning LEV should capture contaminants before they spread. If you see either of these signs, your system may demand immediate attention.
3. Strange Noises or Vibrations
Noticed that your fans and motors rattle, hum, or vibrate excessively? They very likely need servicing. Mechanical wear and tear directly impacts LEV performance, reducing efficiency and increasing the risk of breakdown.
4. Rising Energy Costs
Poor performance means your system has to work harder to achieve the same results. If your energy bills are creeping up without explanation, there is probably an issue with your system. Don’t get caught out paying more – always book in an LEV test to find out what the issue is.
5. Employee Complaints
If your workers are complaining of headaches, coughing, or irritation, you need to act fast. These are human indicators of poor ventilation and declining LEV effectiveness.
6. Inconsistent Extraction Across Workstations
Do some areas feel well-ventilated while others are stagnant? Airflow distribution may be uneven. This imbalance suggests ductwork leaks, blockages, an unbalanced system, or poor system design.
7. Failed or Borderline Test Results
Finally, LEV systems must undergo regular thorough examination and testing (at least every 14 months under HSE guidance). If results show borderline performance or outright failure, it’s a clear sign your system needs urgent attention.
Why Businesses Overlook These Signs
Sometimes companies completely miss the early signs of poor extraction because systems run in the background, where they’re ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Over time, performance may gradually decline, but since it’s not always obvious, without regular checks, issues may go unnoticed.
It’s also common for businesses to prioritise production targets over maintenance schedules, hoping that they can wait a bit longer or not get caught out. But the longer issues persist, the more expensive repairs become, and the greater the risk to staff health and compliance.
Top Tips for Safeguarding LEV Performance
Now you know what to look out for performance-wise, here are some helpful steps you can take to prevent issues from happening in the first place:
1. Regularly Check Equipment Over
Schedule in weekly visual checks for dust build-up, airflow strength, and unusual noises. You should encourage all staff to report concerns immediately.
2. Clean Filters and Ducts
Filters need to be cleaned or replaced regularly, and ductwork must be inspected for leaks, corrosion, or blockages. Booking in preventive maintenance is a lot cheaper than emergency repairs.
3. Monitor Airflow
LEV sensor technology has come a long way over the last few years. There are now simple and cost-effective solutions available to continuously monitor air quality in your work area. This means you can monitor changes within your system with live data 24/7 so you’ll be given an immediate indication if there’s an issue and never be caught off guard by an ineffective or faulty system.
4. Book Professional Testing
Under UK law, LEV systems require a ‘thorough examination and test’ by a competent person at least once every 14 months. Treat this as a health check for your system.
5. Train Your Staff
You must educate your employees on how LEV systems work and what signs of poor ventilation look like. Doing this will help to create an early-warning network.
6. Maintain Logs
Be sure to keep detailed logs of inspections, repairs, and test results. These records not only demonstrate compliance but also help identify recurring issues.
Book Expert Testing & Training
As you can see, spotting the early signs of a failing LEV system can help to protect your people, your productivity, and your reputation. From reduced airflow to employee complaints, these warning signs should trigger immediate action.
Having issues with your LEV? Don’t wait for problems to escalate. Book in an LEV test with our highly experienced engineers to keep things running smoothly, or train up your staff with one of our many industry-approved training courses.
Got questions for our team? Reach out to us via our simple contact form.