Why UK Welding Workshops Should Keep Better LEV Records in 2026
Local exhaust ventilation is an important part of controlling welding fume, grinding dust and other airborne contaminants in fabrication and metalworking workshops. For UK welding and fabrication businesses, LEV is not just about having extraction fitted. The system also needs to be used correctly, maintained, checked and supported by clear records. HSE guidance says employers must assess and control exposure risks under COSHH, provide suitable information and training, and ensure LEV systems are tested at least every 14 months. For welding businesses, this matters because HSE has made clear that welding fume, including mild steel welding fume, needs suitable exposure control. General ventilation alone is not normally enough for indoor welding, and engineering controls such as LEV are usually expected. The problem for many workshops is not always the extraction itself. It is the paperwork around it. LEV assets, service history, inspection dates, filter changes, repair notes, documents, photographs and test reports can easily become spread across folders, emails, spreadsheets and paper files. LEV Ready by Fabora is being developed to help UK workshops organise this information in one place. The aim is to make it easier to see which assets are due, which are overdue, where records are stored, and what maintenance or service history exists for each extraction system. LEV Ready is designed for fabrication shops, welding workshops, foundries and metalworking businesses that want a clearer way to manage LEV records. Planned features include asset records, site and area organisation, service notes, document uploads, QR access, due date tracking and simple export options. LEV Ready does not replace a competent LEV examination, occupational hygiene advice or the legal responsibility of the business. It is being built as a practical record keeping tool to help workshops stay organised and keep important information easier to find. Fabora is a UK-first software platform built around the needs of fabricators, welders, steelwork businesses and metalworking workshops. Find out more at: https://www.faboraplatform.com/lev-ready