Wood dust is one of the most well-documented occupational health hazards in the UK. Hardwood dust in particular is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), meaning there is sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in humans. For woodworking businesses – including joiners, sawmills, cabinet makers, and furniture manufacturers – effective dust extraction and regular LEV testing are not optional extras. They are a legal and moral imperative.
This checklist is designed to help woodworking businesses understand what is required to achieve and maintain compliance.
Why Wood Dust Is a Serious Hazard
Wood dust generated by sawing, sanding, routing, turning, and machining can remain airborne for extended periods. When inhaled, it can cause:
- Occupational asthma – a permanent, irreversible condition
- Sinonasal cancer – a rare but serious cancer of the nasal cavity strongly associated with hardwood dust exposure
- Rhinitis and chronic sinusitis
- Dermatitis from skin contact
The HSE’s Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) for hardwood dust is just 3 mg/m³ averaged over an 8-hour working day. For softwood dust, the limit is 5 mg/m³. These levels can be exceeded quickly in a busy woodworking environment without adequate extraction.
The Legal Framework for Woodworking Dust Extraction
Woodworking businesses are subject to:
- CoSHH Regulations 2002 – requiring risk assessment, adequate control of exposure, and regular LEV testing
- HSG258 – the HSE’s technical guidance on LEV systems, which sets out how extraction systems should be designed, maintained, and tested
- CLAW (Control of Lead at Work) and other specific regulations may also apply in finishing processes
The HSE has historically targeted the woodworking sector for inspection, and LEV compliance is one of the first things an inspector will examine.
LEV Testing Checklist for Woodworking Businesses
Use this checklist to assess whether your dust extraction system is meeting its legal and practical obligations.
✅ 1. Is Your LEV System Being Tested Every 14 Months?
CoSHH Regulation 9 requires all LEV systems to be thoroughly examined and tested at least every 14 months. Check when your system was last tested and when the next test is due. If you don’t have a written test report, assume it is overdue.
✅ 2. Is Testing Being Carried Out by a BOHS P601-Qualified Engineer?
A Thorough Examination and Test must be conducted by a competent person. In the woodworking industry, this means a BOHS P601-qualified engineer. Testing carried out by a general maintenance contractor without this qualification does not satisfy CoSHH requirements.
✅ 3. Does Your System Have a Hood or Capture Point at Every Dust-Generating Machine?
Every piece of woodworking machinery that generates dust should have a properly designed extraction hood positioned to capture dust at source. Common machines requiring LEV include:
- Panel saws and circular saws
- Planers and thicknessers
- Spindle moulders and routers
- Sanders – belt, orbital, drum, and disc
- Lathes
- CNC routers and machining centres
- Cross-cut and mitre saws
Walk the workshop floor and identify any machine where dust generation is not being captured at source. These are gaps in your protection.
✅ 4. Are Capture Velocities Adequate?
The purpose of an LEV hood is to draw contaminated air away from the worker’s breathing zone before it can be inhaled. To do this effectively, the airflow at the hood face must be sufficient to overcome air currents and capture dust at the point of generation.
Your LEV test report should include measured face velocities for every hood on the system. If any are below the design specification, the system is not providing adequate protection and remedial action is required.
✅ 5. Is the Ductwork in Good Condition?
Ductwork carries extracted air (and dust) from the hood to the fan and filter unit. Over time, ductwork can suffer from:
- Holes, cracks, or poorly sealed joints – reducing airflow and causing dust to escape into the building
- Blockages from accumulated dust – reducing system performance and creating a fire risk
- Collapsed or kinked flexible hose – restricting airflow
Your LEV engineer will inspect ductwork as part of a Thorough Examination. Between tests, visually inspect flexible hoses and accessible ductwork sections regularly.
✅ 6. Is the Filter Being Cleaned and Replaced Regularly?
Most woodworking dust extraction systems use a filter unit to separate dust from the extracted air before it is discharged or recirculated. A clogged filter:
- Reduces airflow through the entire system, degrading extraction performance at every hood
- May allow fine dust particles to pass through and be discharged back into the workshop
- Can create a fire or explosion risk if dust accumulates in an uncontrolled way
Filters should be cleaned or replaced in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Keep a maintenance log.
✅ 7. Is Fine Dust Being Captured As Well As Coarse Shavings?
Many woodworking extraction systems are effective at capturing coarse shavings and chips but less effective at capturing the finest respirable dust particles – those smaller than 10 microns, which penetrate deepest into the lungs. Check that your system specification includes filtration capable of capturing fine dust, and that filter efficiency has been verified.
✅ 8. Are Employees Using the System Correctly?
An LEV system can only protect workers if it is actually switched on and used correctly. Common issues include:
- Machines being operated with extraction switched off
- Flexible extraction arms not being positioned correctly at the point of dust generation
- Hoods being blocked or removed to allow access
Ensure all employees are trained to use the extraction system, understand why it matters, and know that bypassing it is not acceptable.
✅ 9. Do You Have Written Test Records Going Back Five Years?
CoSHH Regulations require LEV test records to be kept for a minimum of five years. These should be available for inspection by the HSE at any time. If you cannot produce records, you cannot demonstrate compliance – even if testing has been carried out.
✅ 10. Has Your CoSHH Risk Assessment Been Updated Recently?
If your processes have changed – new machinery, new materials, new layouts – your CoSHH risk assessment should be reviewed and updated accordingly. A risk assessment that no longer reflects your actual operations is not compliant.
What Happens During a Woodworking LEV Test?
When Apex LEV Services carries out a Thorough Examination and Test at a woodworking facility, our engineer will:
Review the previous test report (if available) and any design documentation for the system
Inspect all hoods, ductwork, fan units, filter housings, and discharge points
Measure airflow velocity and static pressure at key points throughout the system
Assess capture performance at every hood
Check filter condition and overall system integrity
Produce a detailed written report documenting all findings, measured values, and any recommended remedial actions
The report will clearly indicate whether the system is compliant, and if not, what needs to be done to bring it up to standard.
Book a Woodworking LEV Test
Apex LEV Services carries out BOHS P601-certified LEV testing for woodworking businesses across Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Bristol, and nationwide. If your dust extraction system is due for testing – or if you are not sure when it was last done – contact us today.
