A Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) system is designed to capture airborne contaminants at source — protecting workers from hazardous dusts, fumes, vapours and mists.
However, installation alone does not guarantee protection.
Without structured preventive maintenance and annual performance testing, even a well-designed LEV system can gradually lose efficiency, leading to:
Reduced capture velocity
Filter failure
Duct leakage
Excessive static pressure
Worker overexposure
In Malaysia, this is not just a technical issue — it is a legal responsibility.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health (Use and Standards of Exposure of Chemicals Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000:
Engineering control equipment must be maintained in good working condition and examined and tested at least once every 12 months by a competent person.
This includes:
LEV systems
Dust collectors
Fume extraction systems
Containment ventilation
Failure to comply may result in:
Fines up to RM50,000
Imprisonment up to 2 years
Improvement or prohibition notices
Operational disruption
Employers must ensure, so far as is practicable, the safety, health and welfare of employees.
If an LEV system fails and causes chemical overexposure, the employer remains accountable even if the system was originally installed correctly.
LEV systems degrade over time due to:
Dust accumulation inside ducting
Corrosion from chemical vapours
Fan belt wear or misalignment
Filter bag tearing or clogging
Motor efficiency reduction
Structural vibration issues
Without monitoring, performance can drop silently.
For example:
A 15–20% reduction in airflow may not be visible but it can significantly reduce capture efficiency at the hood, allowing contaminants to escape into the breathing zone.
This is why HSE HSG258 (recognized international LEV guidance) emphasizes:
A proper preventive maintenance program is more than visual inspection.
Hood positioning and damage check
Duct integrity and joint leakage
Access door sealing
Structural support assessment
Capture velocity measurement
Duct velocity testing
Static pressure reading
Fan RPM verification
These measurements confirm whether the system still performs according to design.
Differential pressure monitoring
Filter bag condition check
Pulse jet function testing
Hopper discharge inspection
Used to visually confirm:
Directional airflow
Dead zones
Hood effectiveness
A compliant report must include:
System schematic
Test data
Defect identification
Recommendations
Competent person endorsement
This report is required during DOSH inspection.
ZABSI Industrial Ventilation provides structured LEV preventive maintenance services based on:
USECHH 2000 requirements
HSE HSG258 principles
ACGIH Industrial Ventilation guidelines
DOSH compliance standards
✔ Scheduled preventive maintenance plan
✔ Annual LEV performance testing
✔ Smoke testing & airflow verification
✔ Dust collector and filter system inspection
✔ Fan and motor mechanical checks
✔ Engineering recommendations for improvement
✔ Compliance-ready documentation
Where required, ZABSI coordinates testing with DOSH-recognized competent persons (CePSO / Industrial Hygiene professionals).
Preventive maintenance is critical in:
Welding and metal fabrication plants
Pharmaceutical production
Chemical blending facilities
Spray painting lines
Wood processing factories
Palm oil mills
Laboratories and R&D facilities
If your process generates airborne contaminants, your LEV system must remain operationally effective at all times.
Many companies only call for service after problems occur.
Common consequences include:
Workers complaining of odour or dust
High exposure results during monitoring
Failed DOSH audit
Unexpected fan breakdown
Fire risk from accumulated dust
Preventive maintenance costs are significantly lower than emergency corrective work — or regulatory penalties.
20+ years of industrial ventilation experience
EPCC capability (Engineering to Commissioning)
In-house technical and inspection team
Experience across petrochemical, manufacturing, and heavy industry
Structured reporting aligned with regulatory requirements
We focus on engineering accuracy and compliance assurance, not just servicing equipment.
An LEV system that is not maintained is a false sense of security.
Preventive maintenance is:
A legal obligation
A safety requirement
A risk management strategy
A cost-saving measure in the long term
If your LEV system has not been tested within the last 12 months, it may already be non-compliant.
For structured preventive maintenance and compliance-ready reporting:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.zabsi.com
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