HSE Case Study Schools Wood dust

A tale of two new schools.

The problem

Wood dust is a hazardous substance arising from the use of woodworking machines. Breathing in wood dust can cause asthma. However, it is easily controlled by using local exhaust ventilation (LEV). Two new schools had very different experiences when it came to installing LEV in their woodworking departments.

The solution

The Council for school A went with the cheapest tender. They didn’t consult the end users of the system, didn’t write a clear specification of what they wanted and didn’t consider long term maintenance or running costs.

School B had good communications with all stakeholders. They produced a good LEV specification, had a well designed system installed that provided adequate control of dust. But, it was a slightly more expensive system than school A.

To read the solution click here to visit the HSE Website.