HSG258 Explained: What Every Employer Needs to Know About LEV

If you've looked into LEV compliance, you've seen HSG258 referenced everywhere. It's HSE's official guidance document on controlling airborne contaminants at work — and at over 200 pages, it's not exactly a quick read.

Here's what it actually says, which parts matter most for your business, and how to use it without reading the whole thing.

What HSG258 Is

HSG258 is published by the Health and Safety Executive. Its full title is "Controlling airborne contaminants at work: A guide to local exhaust ventilation (LEV)." It covers the entire LEV lifecycle: design, installation, commissioning, use, maintenance, examination, and testing.

It's guidance, not law. You won't be prosecuted for not following HSG258 to the letter. But it explains how to meet the legal requirements in the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), and HSE inspectors use it as the benchmark for what "adequate" LEV management looks like. If your approach deviates significantly from HSG258 without good reason, you'll need to demonstrate that your alternative is equally effective.

The document applies across industries: woodworking, manufacturing, automotive paint spraying, laboratories, dental practices, bakeries, welding shops, nail salons — anywhere LEV is used to control airborne hazards.

The Sections That Matter Most for Employers

You don't need to read all 200-plus pages. Here are the chapters that directly affect how you manage your LEV systems day-to-day.

Chapter 2 — Health effects of airborne contaminants

This chapter explains why LEV matters. It covers how dusts, fumes, vapours, and mists enter the body, and what damage they cause. The practical takeaway: LEV isn't a regulatory box-ticking exercise. Poorly controlled wood dust causes nasal cancer. Welding fume causes lung cancer and asthma. Flour dust causes occupational asthma. Silica dust causes silicosis. These are serious, often irreversible conditions.

Understanding the health consequences helps you prioritise which LEV systems need the closest attention and the most frequent checks.

Chapter 7 — Users' responsibilities

This is the chapter most relevant to employer obligations. It covers:

Your duty to maintain LEV in efficient working order (COSHH Regulation 9)
User checks — what they are, how often to do them, what to record
Training requirements — making sure employees understand the LEV system and how to spot problems
What to do when things go wrong — procedures when a user check reveals a fault

Chapter 7 makes clear that maintenance and user checks are the employer's responsibility, not something you outsource entirely to your annual examiner. The examiner tests the system once every 14 months. You live with it every day.

Chapter 9 — Thorough examination and testing (TExT)

This chapter details what a thorough examination and test involves, who should carry it out, and what the report must contain. Key points:

TExT must happen at least every 14 months under COSHH Regulation 9
The examiner must be a "competent person" — someone with sufficient training, knowledge, and experience for the specific LEV type
The report must document the system's condition, measurements taken, whether it's performing adequately, and when the next examination is due
Records must be retained for at least 5 years

If you're choosing an examiner or reviewing a TExT report, Chapter 9 tells you exactly what to expect.

Chapter 13 — Record-keeping

This chapter specifies what records to keep and for how long. The HSE ran 4,000 targeted dust inspections in 2024/25, and poor record-keeping is one of the most common reasons businesses fail. Chapter 13 sets out:

What user check records should contain (date, person, findings, actions)
What TExT reports must include
The 5-year minimum retention period
That records must be available for inspection by HSE at any time

Paper or digital records are both acceptable. What matters is completeness and accessibility. Use our free record-keeping requirements checker to confirm your documentation covers everything Chapter 13 requires.

How HSG258 Relates to COSHH Regulation 9

This distinction trips people up, so here it is plainly.

COSHH is the law. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 are statutory instruments made under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Regulation 9 creates legal duties: maintain your LEV, get it examined and tested every 14 months, keep records for 5 years. Breach these duties and you face enforcement action — improvement notices, prohibition notices, or prosecution. Fines for COSHH breaches can reach six figures, and directors can face personal liability.

HSG258 is guidance. It explains how to comply with COSHH (and other relevant regulations). Following HSG258 doesn't guarantee compliance, and not following it doesn't automatically mean you've broken the law. But it represents the HSE's view of good practice. In enforcement proceedings, demonstrating that you followed HSG258 is strong evidence that you met your legal duties.

Think of it this way: COSHH Regulation 9 says "you must examine and test your LEV." HSG258 says "here's what that examination and test should look like, here's who should do it, and here's what the report should contain."

Practical Steps — Using HSG258 in Your Workplace

You don't need to memorise HSG258. You need to use it as a reference at the right moments. Here's how.

When setting up user checks

Use Chapter 7 to build your user check schedule. HSG258 recommends daily checks for high-risk systems (those controlling exposure to substances like wood dust, silica, or isocyanates) and at least weekly checks for lower-risk systems. Our free LEV compliance checklist generator builds a sector-specific checklist based on your LEV type, so you don't have to start from scratch. Train the person doing the checks on whatever checklist you use.

When choosing an examiner

Use Chapter 9 to evaluate potential examiners. Ask them:

What specific experience do you have with this type of LEV system?
What instruments will you use?
Will your report cover all the elements listed in HSG258 Chapter 9?
Can I see a sample report?

A competent examiner should be familiar with HSG258 and able to discuss it knowledgeably. If they haven't heard of it, find someone else.

When reviewing TExT reports

Cross-reference the report against Chapter 9's requirements. A compliant report should include: the date, the system components examined, measurements taken, the examiner's assessment of whether the system is adequate, any repairs or modifications needed, and the date of the next examination.

When an inspector visits

Having HSG258-aligned records and procedures demonstrates that you've taken a structured approach to LEV management. This is exactly what HSE inspectors look for when they assess compliance with COSHH.

Where to get it

HSG258 is available from the HSE website. It's a priced publication, but the investment is worthwhile if you operate LEV systems. A single copy shared between the person managing your LEV and your competent examiner covers most needs.

Making Compliance Manageable

HSG258 gives you the framework. The challenge is applying it consistently — running user checks on schedule, tracking 14-month TExT deadlines, keeping records accessible. LEVproof will be a digital logbook designed to handle exactly this, built around the requirements HSG258 sets out. Join the waitlist if you'd like early access.

Sources

HSG258: Controlling airborne contaminants at work — HSE
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) — legislation.gov.uk
COSHH main page — HSE
LEV guidance for employers — HSE
Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) guidance — HSE

This guide summarises published HSE and government guidance. It does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.