BOHS Approved ‘LEV Awareness’ Courses now running

Part of our Approved Course Scheme, the BOHS Approved LEV Awareness Course is aimed particularly at employers whose workplaces use or need ventilation systems to protect workers from dusts, fumes and other airborne hazards; the course is also relevant for facilities managers, works managers, health and safety managers, and union health and safety representatives where there is a need for a basic appreciation of LEV [local exhaust ventilation].

And there is a definite need to raise awareness of LEV. Many employees are made ill every year as a result of exposure to hazardous dusts and fumes which have not been adequately controlled. LEV is - or should be - an important part of many exposure control strategies. But there are many reasons why LEV controls are inadequate, or missing completely - from a lack of understanding of the risk of exposure, through difficulties in working out what's causing exposure, to inappropriate design of systems. According to the Health & Safety Executive [HSE], of approximately 100,000 businesses in the UK using LEV to control risk, some 60,000 do not have it tested. Which means that 60% are breaking the law, just by not testing!

The HSE publishes guidance on LEV (HSG258, 'Controlling airborne contaminants at work; a guide to local exhaust ventilation'), and HSE inspectors check workplaces for appropriate and effective LEV systems, and promote the need for awareness training as part of their advice out in the field.

The BOHS Approved LEV Awareness course helps employers and their managers to be aware of their duties, by:
• Providing an appreciation of the importance of LEV as a control method;
• Clarifying everybody’s roles and responsibilities concerning LEV; and
• Giving an overview of the main elements of an LEV system and the required essential documentation.

Successful completion of the course should lead to a better understanding of an organisation’s statutory requirements, how near or far they are to being met, and provide information about what, if anything, to do next.

The courses are being run across the UK by independent course providers, Gully Howard, the Health & Safety Laboratory and Oxyl8, and full details, including links to their websites for course dates and venues, can be found in the Education section of our site on the Awareness Courses page.

It is clear that there is a large market for a good quality LEV Awareness course aimed at those who are ultimately responsible for their employees' health. BOHS has been involved throughout in the development of the course syllabuses, and the assessment and ultimate approval of course providers to run the courses under the BOHS Approved Course Scheme. As BOHS is the leading examination board for existing qualifications in the design and testing of LEV systems (P601 and P602 which are referred to in HSE’s HSG258 guidance as one measure of competency in these areas) the BOHS badge provides the quality assurance required by prospective course delegates.


Our ultimate objective is to ensure that awareness training in all aspects of occupational hygiene is of the highest possible standard. The LEV Awareness course is one of a range of awareness courses available or in the pipeline as part of the BOHS Approved Course Scheme.