Statute Links:
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002  (COSHH)
The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002  (DSEAR)

Links:
HSE warns against nuisance dust masks - People who work with harmful dusts should not use nuisance dust masks to protect themselves from exposure

Asbestos ~ The Worst Industrial Killer - Hazards
Asthma Information Sheet - Unison  (for Asthma, see also COSHH section)
Diseases of the Respiratory System - health&safety.co.uk
Dust (Including Cotton and Wood Dust) - UnionSafe, Australia
Dust and fume control in the rubber industry - HSE
Flour dust at work can cause asthma - HSE
Grain dust in non agricultural workplaces - HSE INDG140
NEW  LEV / Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems - HSE LEV Homepage
LEV / Local Exhaust Ventilation (HSG37) - Mike Everly, Cambrian Safety Consultancy
LEV: General principles of system design - HSE
Indoor Workplace Air Pollution - Hazards Factsheet
LEV: dust capture at fixed drum and disc sanding machines - HSE
Slipping on dust in machinery workshop - HSE
Quarries - dust and silica - HSE
Silica - COSHH Essentials in Ceramics - HSE
Silica - Essential guidance publications - HSE
Silica - Unite Silica H&S Page
Silica Dust / Extraction / Exposure / HSG37 / Airflow / discussion - IOSH Discussion Forum thread
Ventilation - London Hazards Centre Trust
Ventilation - Local Extraction for Welding Fume - TWI
Wood Dust - Hazards and Precautions - health&safety.co.uk
Woodworking - Hazards of Exotic Woods and MDF - by Dave Griffin, GMB Safety Rep
Wood Dust - Hazard Recognition - US Dept of Labor
Wood Dust - Safety Data for wood dust - Oxford University

Downloads:  (to prevent Pdf files opening, use "Save Target As" in IE or "Save Link As" in Firefox )
Asbestos Alert - HSE leaflet INDG188 - pocket card for building maintenance workers.
NEW  Clearing The Air: A Simple Guide to Buying and Using Local Exhaust Ventilation - HSE (pdf)
NEW  Cut-off Saws - Protect Your Lungs (from silica) When Using Cut-off Saws - HSE (pdf)
COSHH: a brief guide to the regulations - HSE
Control of Exposure to Silica Dust in Small Potteries - HSE
Dust - A Baker's Guide to Flour Dust Hazards - Glasgow City Council (pdf)
Dust control on concrete cutting saws - HSE
Dust Explosions in the Food Industry - HSE
Dust - Powder Hazards
Dust - Wool Process Dust, Controlling Health Hazards from - Confederation of British Wool Textiles (pdf)
Lead and You - a guide to working safely with lead - HSE
Guidance on the Use and Testing of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)  (Word.doc)
LEV: Dust capture at fixed belt sanding machines
Local Exhaust Ventilation (Engineering Control 200) - COSHH Guidance Sheet (pdf)
Maximum exposure limit for flour dust - HSE
Paper mills: Guidance on fire risk - Paper and Board Industry
Portland Cement Dust - Hazard assessment document - HSE
Respiratory Sensitisers Fact Sheet -  Wyre Borough Council (pdf)
Respiratory Sensitisers Fact Sheet - European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (pdf)
Respiratory Sensitisers and COSHH - Employer's Leaflet - HSE
Safe Work in Confined Spaces - HSE INDG258 (pdf)
Silica - HSE Information Sheet CIS36 (pdf)
Silica in the Workplace - IAPA, Canada (pdf, zipped, 42pp)
Silica - Toxic Air Contaminant Identification (carcinogenic) - California Environmental Protection Agency (pdf)
Silica in the Workplace - IAPA, Canada (pdf, zipped, 42pp)
Silica Sand Safety Data Sheet - Benedict Sand & Gravel, Australia (pdf)
Amicus/Unite Guide to Controlling Silica Dust (pdf)
Control of Exposure to Silica Dust in Small Potteries - HSE (pdf)
Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica- NIOSH Hazard Review (1.2mb,zipped)
Stone Dust and You - HSE INDG315 (pdf)
Toxic Woods
Ventilation - A Safety Guideline for Your Workplace - IAPA, Canada (pdf, zipped)
Wood Dust - more downloads in HandS COSHH Section
Wood dust - hazards and precautions - HSE (pdf)
Working safely with coating powders - HSE INDG319 (pdf)


The current legislation regarding the testing of LEV systems (which includes vehicle exhaust, dust and weld fume extraction systems etc.) may be summarised as follows:
Regulation 9 of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 1999 Act states that "every employer who provides any control measure to prevent exposure of an employee to a substance hazardous to health, shall ensure that it is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair" in addition, where engineering controls are provided, the employer shall ensure that thorough examinations and tests are carried out and a suitable record of these be kept and made available for at least 5 years.

In the case of local exhaust ventilation plant (LEV) the examinations and tests must be performed at least once every 14 months. (In certain circumstances this period is reduced to every 6 months e.g. where metallic dust is being controlled).

HSE Priced Publication:
Maintenance, Examination and Testing of Local Exhaust Ventilation (HSG54) from HSE Books
ISBN 0717614859, £8.50

#