Health, Safety and Workplace
HVCA TR/19 is the industry recognised standard for the cleanliness of ventilation systems, and is designed to be used in conjunction with the regulations and legislations that set out a building owner’s responsibilities in maintaining a clean and efficient system.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Workplace) Regulations 1992 require that effective provision should be made to ensure that every enclosed workplace is ventilated by a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air. Where this ventilation is provided by mechanical means the regulations require those mechanical ventilation systems to be maintained (including cleaned as appropriate) in efficient working order. Failure to carry out these duties is a breach of the regulations.
Regulation 5 of the above imposes a duty to clean mechanical ventilation ‘as appropriate.’ The Workplace Regulations are accompanied by an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) which gives guidance on how compliance with the regulations can be achieved.
Regulation 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 imposes a duty on every employer to conduct a risk assessment and the testing procedure within TR/19 (Deposit Thickness Test – D.T.T. / Vacuum Test – V.T.) would assist in assessing some of the risks in relation to poorly maintained ventilation systems. Please see table below:
SURFACE DEPOSIT LIMITS
| SYSTEM TYPE | SURFACE CONTAMINANTS LIMIT | TEST METHOD |
| EXTRACT | 6g/m2 | V.T. |
| 180 microns | D.T.T. | |
| RECIRCULATION | 1g/m2 | V.T. |
| 60 microns | D.T.T. | |
| SUPPLY | 1g/m2 | V.T. |
| 60 microns | D.T.T. |
ACOP 22(A) States that regular maintenance (including, as necessary, inspection, testing, adjustment, lubrication and cleaning) should be carried out at regular intervals.
ACOP 33 States: ‘Mechanical ventilation systems should be regularly and properly cleaned, tested and maintained to ensure that they are kept clean and free from anything which may contaminate the air.’
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 lays down that employers or persons concerned with the premises owe the ‘common duty of care’ both to employers and others who may use or visit the premises. They are required to exercise this duty ‘so far as is reasonably practicable.’
COSHH Regulations
This requires an employer to make a formal assessment of the health risk from any hazardous substances, which includes human pathogens or any dusts present in substantial quantities in the air. Regulation 7 (1) requires the employer to prevent exposure of his employees to substances hazardous to health, or where this is not practicable, to ensure that any exposure is adequately controlled.