Fume Extraction Register

Educational guidance on registers and logs — what each records, who maintains it, what it typically contains and how long it is generally kept. Informational only — template examples, not official documents or legal advice; a register documents activity, it does not by itself prove compliance, and employers remain responsible.

What a fume extraction register is

A fume extraction register lists the local exhaust ventilation units that capture fume at source — welding extractors, solder extraction, process hoods — with their checks and examinations, because fume can seriously affect health if it is not captured.

This page is an educational overview with a simplified example. It is not an official template, not jurisdiction-specific and not legal advice — examination requirements for fume extraction vary by country.

Purpose

• List the fume extraction units and where they are used.
• Record routine checks and thorough examinations.
• Show that fume is being captured at source.
• Support exposure assessment and health surveillance.

Who maintains it

• A maintenance or safety lead keeps it current.
• Thorough examinations are carried out by a competent person.
• Results are reviewed against the unit’s performance standard.
• The employer decides who is competent and how it is controlled.

When it is used

• When checks or examinations are due.
• After repair, filter change or a suspected fault.
• When a fume task is introduced or relocated.
• When exposure monitoring suggests capture is failing.

Typical fields

• Unit identifier and the task it serves.
• Check or examination date and type.
• Capture performance and whether it meets the standard.
• Filter or maintenance status and faults found.
• Inspector and next due date.
• Example columns only — adapt to your units and the applicable law.

Common mistakes

• Positioning the extractor too far from the fume source.
• Letting filters clog so capture drops off.
• Using a unit that has failed its examination.
• Not linking extraction failure to exposure monitoring.

Document workflow

A fume extraction register works with the exposure and maintenance chain: the fume task is assessed and the COSHH register records the controls, extraction checks are logged here, and a failure feeds corrective action and re-checked exposure monitoring completed afterwards.

See the related documents below for what is commonly used with and completed after a fume extraction entry.

Retention (high level)

Examination records for fume extraction are generally kept for a period set by the applicable law and the employer’s obligations. This page does not state a required period — confirm with the applicable law and the official authority.

Completing and sharing as a PDF

Check and examination reports are often held in a system and exported to PDF. Exporting to PDF supports the record; it does not make the examination official or prove compliance.

Employer checklist

• Have fume extraction examined by a competent person at suitable intervals.
• Keep filters maintained and capture positioned correctly.
• Take failing units out of use until repaired.
• Link extraction failures to exposure monitoring.

Worker notes

• Position extraction close to the fume and use it.
• Report weak capture, clogged filters or strong fume.
• Wear RPE where the assessment also requires it.

Country considerations

Fume extraction examination intervals and standards vary by country, and the official authority differs. This page is general and high-level — not a statement of any country’s law and not legal advice.

Confirm current requirements with the official authority for your country and a qualified professional.

Who is responsible

The employer is responsible for capturing fume at source and for compliance. This page is an educational overview with a template example; it does not make a workplace compliant and does not transfer responsibility.