When a school invests in a new technology workshop, the health of the students using it has to come first. That’s exactly why Ormiston Senior College in Auckland chose Egmont Air to design and install a purpose-built school workshop dust extraction system for their students and staff.
Ormiston Senior College is a modern senior secondary school catering to Years 11–13 students in Auckland’s eastern suburbs. With a strong focus on future-focused learning and hands-on subjects, the college’s technology workshop is a busy space where woodworking, joinery, and materials processing happen every day. Keeping that environment safe and healthy for students is a top priority.
Wood dust is a serious hazard in school workshops. Fine particles stay suspended in the air long after machines stop running, creating respiratory risks and a general build-up of dust on surfaces and equipment. For a school environment, this isn’t just a comfort issue — it’s a health and safety obligation.
Young people’s lungs are still developing, which makes good air quality in school technology spaces especially important. We’ve written in depth about the respiratory health risks in school workshops and why effective extraction is critical — read more here.
Egmont Air was brought in to assess the workshop’s extraction needs and design a system capable of handling the full machine load while keeping the space clean and compliant.
With multiple machines running across the workshop, Egmont Air carried out a full airflow assessment before specifying an MFS2 Modular Filter System — part of a range designed specifically for New Zealand’s schools and small joinery shops.
The MFS Series isn’t a generic industrial unit pressed into service — it was developed with workshops like this one in mind. Compact enough to fit where space is tight, powerful enough to handle long ducting runs across a busy school workshop, and built from sturdy galvanised panels for reliability in indoor or outdoor locations. The integrated auto-shaker cleaning system keeps the filter sleeves performing at their best without manual intervention, and the modular construction means the system can be upgraded or reconfigured if the workshop’s needs change down the track.
For Ormiston Senior College, the MFS2 was the right fit: an airflow capacity of 5,000–6,000m³/hr, 24.8m² of filter surface area across 18 filter sleeves, and a high-efficiency 5.5kW direct-drive fan — with a 7.5Hp fan specified to maintain strong suction across the full ducting network. Removable dust collection bags make emptying straightforward, keeping maintenance quick and mess-free between classes.
ATEX-Rated Filtration
Fine wood dusts — especially from sanding and particleboard — aren’t just a nuisance. They can be combustible, which is why the project specification called for an ATEX-rated filter system. Built from heavy-gauge galvanised steel with a pneumatic cyclic cleaning system, it’s designed to handle combustible dusts safely while systematically purging the filter sleeves during operation — maintaining suction efficiency and extending the life of the filters considerably.
Eco-Power Variable Speed Drive
Also included is Egmont Air’s Eco-Power system — a Variable Speed Drive (VSD) and Pressure Stabiliser that automatically ramps fan speed up or down to match how many extraction points are in use at any given time. The result is a quieter workshop and real energy savings. A 20% reduction in fan speed delivers a 50% cut in power consumption — based on typical school usage, that’s a saving of around $1,320 +GST per year. The system pays for itself and keeps running costs down year after year.
Ducting and Inground Infrastructure
The ducting design incorporated an FRP fibreglass inground piping system, two duct silencers, ceiling-mounted indoor duct runs, and vertical droppers from ceiling height down to each machine — keeping the workshop floor clear and the layout tidy.
Steve Lincoln, Property Manager at Ormiston Senior College, summed up the result:
“Very pleased with the system — definitely very good suction. With the new dust extraction system the air quality in the new space is much cleaner than what we’ve had, and it helps amazingly with any respiratory dusts.”
Why does a school workshop need an ATEX-rated dust extraction system?
Fine wood dusts — especially from sanding and particleboard — can be combustible. ATEX-rated systems are designed and certified to operate safely where dust explosion is a risk, making them the appropriate choice for workshops handling these materials.
Does Egmont Air handle all compliance documentation?
Yes. Egmont Air issues all necessary PS1, PS3, and PS4 compliance documentation as part of the installation process, ensuring the system meets New Zealand health and safety and building compliance requirements.
How long does a school workshop dust extraction installation take?
Every project is different, but Egmont Air can plan your installation in stages, or schedule you in at the most ideal time to minimise disruption.
Can an existing school workshop be retrofitted with dust extraction?
Absolutely. Egmont Air assesses each site individually, designing a system around the actual machines, layout, and airflow requirements. Both new builds and retrofit installations are well within scope.
If your school workshop, training facility, or manufacturing space needs a dust extraction system designed to perform, Egmont Air has the expertise and the equipment to get it right. Get in touch with the team today.
