www.heatingandventilating.net
The need for speed
Matthew Wall, LEV and service team leader at Filtermist, explains why there is a growing demand for faster LEV reporting
T
ime is of the essence. In every walk of life we want things quicker, with the internet driving an insatiable appetite for instantly being able
to get information, the ‘must-see’ video or the advice we all need. It is also a phrase that is now commonplace in the industry dictionary, right up there with turnover and profitability. Companies want to be the first to market, they want their components just-in-time and they want to be the firm that is investing in the latest bit of kit.
Speed is also a growing factor in Local Exhaust
Ventilation (LEV) testing, with an increasing number of organisations turning their backs on the industry standard of 15-20 working days turnaround time for the reports.
Companies are legally required through CoSHH regulation 9 to ensure LEV systems are operating effectively
This can seem like an eternity, especially if the business has run over their 12 to 14-month interval time between tests or if a visit from a HSE inspector prompts action to be taken by a certain deadline. There are also instances when manufacturers are
not aware of the need for LEV testing and need to arrange one quickly so they can be compliant for a customer audit. The industry-standard for turning around LEV
reports is about two to three weeks, but we are hearing from clients that many need them much quicker. With this in mind, we looked at our processes and came up with a strategy that sees all reports completed electronically on a tablet by our LEV engineers on site. These reports then get sent back to a secure internet portal in PDF format, where they are downloaded, filed and processed before being sent back to the client. This new approach has reduced the report lead
time down to just 5-10 days and, in emergency situations, we can even do it as quick as one or two.
www.heatingandventilating.net
The response from clients has been fantastic and we’ve seen a 14% increase in LEV tests completed since the introduction of the faster service. Going digital is definitely the way forward and
gives everyone access to real time data and reports that help them create a cleaner and more productive environment.
Meeting the need for skills
LEV is an engineering control system used to reduce exposures to airborne contaminants in the workplace, such as dust, mist, fume, vapour and gas. Companies are legally required through CoSHH
regulation 9 to ensure LEV systems are operating effectively to protect their staff, with LEV testing by a competent person required at least once every 14 months. Some LEV systems require more frequent testing depending on the nature of the application. Filtermist’s team of engineers is responsible for
installing, servicing and LEV testing oil mist, smoke, fume and dust extraction systems for clients in a variety of industries across the UK. Investment in the latest skills is crucial to meeting
the exacting standards demanded by customers. The company has reinforced the importance it
places on this capability by announcing that all of its installation and service engineers will be trained to P600 standard by Bill Cassells at special sessions due to be held at its Telford head quarters. Having previously worked as a senior HSE inspector, the founder of training company Oxly8 is one of the UK’s most respected experts in the field of LEV. The P600 ‘Methods for testing the performance of LEV’ course focuses on the fundamentals of LEV systems, from their components to measurement and testing techniques. It will provide engineers with a sound knowledge foundation and they can then progress on to further BOHS (British Occupational Hygiene Society) LEV qualifications if necessary. Our mission is to create cleaner, safer and more
productive work environments and one of the key ways of doing this is by working with our clients to ensure they not only install the best equipment, but regularly service and LEV test it so it works to its optimum performance. The investment in our engineers is part of a
Testing in action
Filters & air cleaning
£100,000 commitment to upskilling all of our staff and developing the next generation of Filtermist employees. This guarantees everyone a minimum of 50 hours training every year and includes anything from job specific courses and personal development opportunities to a recently launched programme of in-house competency workshops and masterclasses. Filtermist is part of the Absolent Group which also includes Absolent AB, Avani Environmental International Inc., Bristol T&G International GmbH, Dustcheck Ltd, Multi-Fan Systems Ltd, DCS Limited, Gallito Ltd, Cades Ltd and Ecogate Ltd in its portfolio.
July 2019
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
