LEV commissioning

Commissioning proves a new or altered LEV system controls exposure as designed, and records the figures every later test is measured against. HSE says it provides the benchmark for the regular examinations and tests.

Expect around £400 to £1,200 excluding VAT, depending on the number of hoods and how much air sampling is needed.

Typical cost: £400 to £1,200
When: New or altered
Qualification: BOHS P604

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When a system needs commissioning

When a new system is installed, when hoods, ducts or the fan are changed or added, when a machine is moved, and when an old system has no commissioning report at all. That last one is common: many workshops inherit extraction with no paperwork.

The installer is usually responsible for commissioning a new system they supply. If they did not, or you cannot find the report, an independent examiner can carry out a retrospective commissioning test.

BOHS P604 covers the performance evaluation, commissioning and management of LEV, and is the qualification to look for.

Typical commissioning costs

Item	Typical fee, ex VAT
Commissioning, small system One fan, up to about five hoods	£400 to £700
Commissioning, larger system Many hoods, air sampling, schematic drawing	£700 to £1,200
Logbook and user manual set up Often quoted with commissioning	on quote

Typical UK fees read from testing firms’ published prices, November 2026. A guide, not a quote.

Estimate your fee with the cost guide

What the commissioning report includes

HSE’s commissioning guidance lists what the report should cover.

Who and when
The date, your name and address, and the commissioner’s name, job title and employer, signed.
The system as built
General condition, layout, components and operating conditions on the day, with any adjustments made to get it working.
Test methods
Smoke tests, airflow and pressure measurements, and air sampling where it is needed to show exposure is controlled.
The benchmark figures
Flow rates, face velocities and static pressures at each test point, with a schematic showing where they were taken.
Instruments
Calibration certificates for the instruments used.
Test interval
How often the system should be tested, if that differs from the statutory 14 months.

New extraction, or no commissioning report? Get a quote.

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How commissioning works

Gather the design
before the visit
The specification and drawings, and what substances the system is meant to control.
Set and measure
on the day
The system is balanced, then every hood and duct is measured and smoke tested.
Prove control
on the day
Where it is needed, air sampling shows that exposure is under control, not just that air is moving.
Benchmark report
after the visit
The figures go into the report, the user manual and the logbook, ready for the first periodic test.

Asked before booking

What is the difference between commissioning and a periodic test?

Commissioning sets the benchmark and proves the system controls exposure when new or changed. The periodic test, at least every 14 months, checks it still performs against that benchmark.

We have no commissioning report. Is that a problem?

It makes every test harder to judge, because there is nothing to compare against. A retrospective commissioning test fixes that once.

Who should commission a new system?

Usually the supplier or installer, as part of the contract. Ask for the report before you sign off the job.

Does moving a machine need recommissioning?

If the hood, duct run or airflow changes, yes for the parts affected.

Related pages on LEV testing

Sources for this page

Fee bands are our own reading of what UK testing firms publish (2024 to 2026); we do not name or link them. The rules come from the regulations and official guidance below.

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