COSHH, law & TExT
COSHH insists on a competent person - but it does not hand you a single ticket to check for. Here is what competence actually means.
The short answer
COSHH and HSG258 require the thorough examination and test to be carried out by a competent person, but HSE deliberately does not prescribe one mandatory qualification. Competence means having the knowledge, training and experience to examine the system objectively and judge whether it still controls exposure. That can be an external contractor or a suitably trained in-house employee - what matters is genuine capability and independence of judgement, not a particular badge.
The detail
In industry, the BOHS P601 qualification - covering the thorough examination and testing of LEV systems - is the most widely used competence marker, because it is a clear, auditable piece of evidence. But HSE guidance treats it as one route, not the only one; competence can be demonstrated other ways, provided it stands up. Related BOHS units sit around it: P602 covers LEV design and P604 advanced assessment, so the qualification you look for depends on the task.
Just as important as the certificate is relevant experience on your type of system. Someone competent on a woodworking extraction is not automatically the right examiner for a fume system on a chemical process or a paint booth. Competence should map to the specific system and the substances it controls.
What it means for you
The examiner's competence underwrites the whole exercise. A thorough examination is a series of judgements - is this reading acceptable, is this hood positioned right, is control still effective - and those judgements are only as good as the person making them. A report from someone without the competence to make an objective call is weak evidence, whoever signed it.
So keep the evidence. Record who carried out the test and their competence - qualifications, training, experience - and keep it alongside the report in your logbook. When an inspector or an insurer asks how you satisfied yourself the examiner was competent, that file answers it. Whether you use a contractor or an in-house person, the duty to make sure they are competent stays with you as the employer.
The service behind the guide
Our examiners meet the HSG258 competence criteria and assess objectively across system types, and we supply the competence evidence to keep with your records - so the judgement behind your report holds up.
Questions
A competent person able to make an objective assessment - either an external contractor or a suitably trained in-house employee. HSE does not mandate a single qualification, but the person must have the knowledge, training and experience to judge whether the system still controls exposure.
P601 is the competence marker most widely used in industry and is easy to audit, but HSE treats it as one route rather than the only one. Competence can be shown other ways, provided it genuinely stands up to scrutiny.
Yes, if they are genuinely competent and can make an objective assessment. Many organisations use an external contractor for independence, but a suitably trained and experienced employee can meet the requirement.
P601 covers the thorough examination and testing of LEV, P602 covers LEV design, and P604 covers advanced assessment. The right one depends on the task - for the statutory TExT, P601 is the relevant unit.
Record who carried out the test and their competence - qualifications, training and relevant experience - and keep it with the report in your logbook. As the employer you remain responsible for satisfying yourself the examiner is competent.
Phoenix Duct Clean · by the numbers
Our examiners meet the HSG258 competence criteria and report objectively on all makes and types of system. Call or email to book a thorough examination and test.