Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)

Tell us what the work produces and how it is carried out. A request for a bigger extractor may be describing a problem with hood position, the duct route or the way equipment is used. Establishing the cause helps avoid buying a replacement that leaves the original exposure problem unresolved.

The service can include reviewing an existing arrangement, defining the specialist design requirement, coordinating installation or alteration and arranging maintenance and commissioning. The scope connects the capture hood, ductwork, collector, fan and discharge rather than considering each item in isolation.

The completed package identifies what the system is intended to control and the conditions in which it should operate. Instructions and performance information help the occupier use it properly and arrange future maintenance. HSE's LEV guidance explains these design and commissioning principles.

Local extraction captures contaminants close to their source; general ventilation deals with the wider room. The process assessment establishes which controls are needed. A wall fan or open window should not be assumed to fulfil a requirement for effective source capture.

The arrangement must fit the task. A hood that obstructs everyday work may be moved aside by users, undermining its purpose. Discuss working position, material handling and cleaning with the people using the equipment before agreeing the final installation layout.

Provide the property address, activity, substances and available risk assessments. Include photographs taken safely, equipment details and earlier examination reports. Tell us whether you own or rent the premises and which areas or shared systems fall outside your control.

Arrange a visit when the task can be understood in its normal setting. Identify who can explain the process, authorise property alterations and approve the work method. Duct routes through shared spaces or an external discharge may require landlord and other permissions before installation is planned.

We clarify the extraction problem and property boundary, then agree the specialist assessment. The proposed scope explains the equipment, routes, access and related work, including supplies and making good where needed. Process hazards remain part of the brief rather than becoming an assumption for the installer.

At completion, commissioning and operating information are handed to the responsible owner or occupier. Agree who maintains the system, keeps reports and follows up defects. A property manager needs enough detail to arrange future work without relying on the original installer's verbal explanation.

Cost depends on the contaminant, capture points, route, filtration and the practical building work required. A short accessible duct route differs from one passing through occupied areas or requiring external access. Reusing existing equipment depends on its condition and suitability for the intended task.

Agree when the process can stop and how people will be protected during the works. Include testing, cleaning up and handover within the programme. If the property is rented, settle approval for penetrations, external equipment and finishing work before materials are ordered.

Managing agents need the occupier's process responsibilities separated from the owner's building works. Industrial premises need the material and task defined. Education needs working methods, supervision and access reflected in the installation.

These are examples within the full sector range. The service and project offering extends across the sectors we serve; each extraction requirement is assessed for the activity and premises concerned.

We cover Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Tees Valley, including Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnwick, Morpeth, Hexham, Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees and Redcar and Cleveland. View all locations.

Include the complete address and practical access information. For shared premises, identify the contacts needed for entry, plant access and approval of work beyond the occupied unit.

Yes, with the process requirement and responsibilities clearly established. The occupier's knowledge of substances and working methods is needed alongside the landlord's approval of property changes.

Not necessarily. The hood, route, system balance and process can affect capture. Investigate the arrangement before selecting a fan so the work addresses the actual problem.

Assess the new position and connections first. Moving the hood or changing ductwork can alter performance, so the revised arrangement needs appropriate commissioning and records.

Cleaning is one task. The system also needs condition checks, appropriate maintenance and periodic thorough examination and testing, with actions taken when performance is inadequate.

Read How Are Maintenance Frequencies Determined? and What Is Remedial Action Tracking?. Explore the Knowledge Centre for related advice.

See HVAC and Refrigeration, LEV Examination and Testing, Ductwork, Asset Maintenance and Minor Works. Browse all services, maintenance, projects, sectors and locations.

Contact Black & White Property Services with the address, task, existing equipment and available reports. Include the owner and process contacts so the extraction and property works can be scoped together.