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Ductwork is usual suspended from ceiling joists or other structural members. It should never be suspended from natural gas lines or from sprinkler system lines.
In a normal woodworking shop some machines can be hooked up rigidly to their dust hoods. Others require a flexible connection since their hoods need to move during normal operation, or their hoods have to be removed to service the woodwork machine. Rigid ductwork should be just that. Check to see if rivets or other fasteners have become lost during machine servicing or movement, and ductwork does not present a danger to equipment or personnel.
When using flexible fabric ducting, try to avoid any unnecessary bends, by using metal elbows etc. Flexible ducting in bends increases internal pressure drop dramatically. It is also subject to high abrasion and wear.
Return air ductwork is meant to carry the cleaned air back to the workspace. It inevitably includes a fire damper at the wall penetration point. If this fire damper is of the venetianblind type, check to see if dust or foreign material has built up in the slides. This would prevent it from functioning in case of a fire.
Check the return ductwork for a screen or diffuser installed in it. Dust collectors do plug up and filter tubes do break. At these times sawdust and shavings are carried over into the return air system.
Start up the system and ensure that the blast gates are open. Then using your plant's compressed air system, blow the accumulated dust off of the ductwork. The dust collector will circulate this airborne dust and filter it out of your workshop.
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