Whitehorse Schools Woodshop Dust Collectors

Williams Engineering (WE) was retained by the Government of Yukon to provide mechanical and electrical consulting engineering services for the existing dust collection systems at Vanier, F.H. Collins, and Porter Creek Secondary schools located in Whitehorse. These dust collectors manage sawdust created in the woodshop classrooms of the three schools. Sawdust can increase the likelihood of an explosion under specific conditions and thus must be properly managed and disposed of to maintain safe conditions in the classrooms.

The objective of the project was to provide electrical and mechanical design, tender and construction administration services for the dust collector systems to meet compliance with current safety standards. The woodshop classroom in all three schools required a new filter, ductwork and new fire extinguishers. Since the schools were operational, the construction administration was carefully planned to mitigate the impact on students and staff.

Functional dust collectors are essential to keep air quality high by removing dirt and chemicals from the air and providing pure air in return. This project brought the components of the dust collection systems into compliance with government regulations and ensures students and staff can continue to use the space without risk to their health and safety.