Why should I use P&J Dust Extraction to test my
Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Plant?
P&J Dust
Extraction Ltd are UKAS accredited for LEV Inspection &
Examination services.
The CoSHH Regulations 2002 Approved Code of Practise ACoP makes you responsible for choosing a competent LEV test contractor and specifically recommends that you select LEV Testing contractors who comply with UKAS RG4 'People carrying out examination & test on LEV plant must have adequate knowledge, training and expertise in examination methods and techniques - UKAS RG4 provides guidance for the selection of competent persons to perform the tasks.'
The CosHH ACoP also states that the person to whom any work is sub contracted must be qualified to do it and identifies the British Occupational Hygiene Society as the relevant UK professional body.
P&J is a corporate member of BOHS and individual professional staff are members too. P&J test staff, their supervisors & the Department Manager have appropriate BOHS specialist training & qualifications. The Director responsible for LEV Test & Inspection department is a professional Occupational Hygienist and Health and Safety specialist with 25+ years of experience.
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) recognised by the UK Government as the sole UK national accreditation body responsible for assessing and accrediting the competence of organisations in the fields of inspection, measurement, testing and the certification of systems, products and personnel.
UKAS Accreditation demonstrates competence, impartiality and performance capability.
If you arrange for the inspection of Local Exhaust Ventilation equipment {dust & fume extraction systems, fume cupboards etc} at your place of work, you must endure that the organisation undertaking the inspection professionally and competently.
P&J's compliance with RG4 is proven by their UKAS accreditation.
The P&J test engineer has a unique range of skills both as an experienced LEV dust/fume extraction engineer and also trained in appropriate areas of Occupational Hygiene for Local Exhaust Ventilation – all independently verified by UKAS.
The Health & Safety Executive have expressed concern at the number of companies offering LEV test services who do not fully understand the legal requirements and fail to comply with guidance. The HSE recommend that you use the services of a company who comply with RG4 & BS EN45004 & ISO/ICE 17020, such as P&J Dust Extraction Ltd.
Defend your business against litigation: Litigation is becoming more commonplace. It’s consequences can be dramatic. If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in court on an LEV inspection-related matter, the use of a UKAS accredited inspection body is a powerful demonstration that you have exercised all due diligence in the selection and appointment of a highly competent inspection body.
Any insurance claims may be turned down if you negligently select an inappropriate LEV testing contractor. The best way to prove you have selected a suitable LEV Test contractor is to ensure they are UKAS accredited for Lev Inspections
How to identify
an accredited inspection body It is not widely
known that anybody can set up as an LEV inspection body, with no training or
qualifications – most dust/fume extraction companies and many insurance
companies have no qualified LEV Inspection staff and do not have any
professional indemnity insurance for their test services. Where do you stand
if they certify your LEV as in good order, then in a few years time a member
of your staff develops occupational asthma or cancer related to workplace
exposures and you are sued – will your LEV test contractor still be around
for you to claim against? If they don’t have PI cover [professional
indemnity insurance] for their test & inspection services they will probably
just cease trading leaving you with an expensive moral & financial
problem.
Fortunately, there is an assured way to check the technical competence of an inspection body – choose one who is UKAS Accredited – it is compulsory to have professional indemnity insurance to maintain your UKAS Accreditation so not only are you assured that the LEV test contractor is competent – you have their PI cover to fall back upon if they cease trading.
The internationally recognised standard for the competence of inspection bodies is ISO/ICE 17020. It is the standard against which UKAS accredits inspection bodies. ISO/ICE 17020 should not be confused with the quality management standard ISO 9001:2000 which only relates to quality management systems and does not evaluate the technical competence of an inspection body. ISO 9001:2000 is not an ‘acceptable’ alternative to ISO/ICE 17020.
Identifying a UKAS accredited ISO 17020 inspection body is easy; look for the Royal Crown Mark as proof of accreditation. This Mark is a positive assurance of competency.
You should ask your LEV Test Contractor to provide a copy of their SCOPE OF ACCREDITATION to check that it includes 'LEV Commissioning (Initial) Inspection and In Service Inspection' – not just 'Ventilation systems In Service Inspection'. Protect your business by asking for proof of Professional Indemnity Insurance Cover for LEV Test & Inspection Services as well as the usual Public Liability, Employers Liability and Contractors All Risks
P&J Dust Extraction Ltd are Approved Local Authority
Contractors
Client's include MOD, Home Office, Royal Household
Your LEV Report
should comply with the requirements of CoSHH Regulations 2004 regn 9,
HSG 54, BS EN45004 & ISO/ICE 17020 &
P&J comply with all of these including areas often omitted by insurance companies & specialist test firms. Insurance companies are typically UKAS accredited for areas such as Ventilation. Inspection but not for Local Exhaust Ventilation and are generally unable to comment on the repairs/ improvements that you may need to carry out other than to advise you to 'call in an extraction expert' P&J have been accredited for both 'Commissioning (Initial)' inspections following installation and 'In Service' inspections on all types of LEV.
P&J are the only extraction
experts who are UKAS accredited
– no other dust or fume extraction manufacturer has been accredited.
Areas typically omitted from our competitors reports include:
[a] Measurement of the airborne concentration of dust in the breathing zone of the workers to demonstrate the success of the LEV at controlling the hazardous substance. This needs to be done by a trained technician - all P&J's test engineers are suitably trained and can also undertake personal sampling of individual operatives exposure over an 8 hr TWA if required.
[b] Details of the repairs needed to restore the LEV to its original operating / design specification.
[c] Measurement of the filter efficiency and concentration of the contaminant in systems which return the filtered air [in mg m-3 or ppm as appropriate.
[d] Record Keeping - P&J guarantee to keep copies of all test reports for at least 5 years.
TO ENSURE YOU ARE EMPLOYING A COMPETENT CONTRACTOR
CALL IN P&J - FREEPHONE 0800 435402
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