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Radnor Township SD details dust controls and on-site air monitoring as Ethan construction begins
Summary
Administration reported Phase 1 work at Ethan Elementary has begun with a new construction entrance, fencing, erosion controls and upgraded filtration; biweekly on-site particulate testing is in place. A public commenter urged portable HEPA filtration and greater family transparency about protections.
Ken Morris, the district’s administrative liaison, told the facilities committee on May 12 that Phase 1 of construction at Ethan Elementary has begun and that the district has put multiple controls in place to limit dust and protect the occupied building. "We’ve kicked off phase one," Morris said, describing a construction entrance that the district views as a critical path item, perimeter fencing, erosion-and-sediment controls, regular surveying and other site protections.
Morris said the district has contracted an environmental risk engineer to perform particulate (air) sampling about every two weeks, with analysis performed on site so results are available immediately. He also said the project team has specified upgraded HVAC filtration for Ethan and added pre-filtering of incoming outside air on the construction-facing side of the building.
Why it matters: Ethan Elementary remains occupied while a new school is built adjacent to it, and parents and staff are concerned about short-term exposures from construction dust. Precautions that deliver rapid testing results and improved filtration reduce the risk of elevated particulate exposure during active site work.
During public comment, a resident identifying himself as Wallace of New Town Square urged the district to evaluate temporary portable HEPA units or air scrubbers inside Ethan while construction continues. "Temporary measures such as portable air purifiers and/or air scrubbers should be seriously evaluated during construction," Wallace said, adding that such devices are widely used in construction settings and are recommended by organizations including the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Morris said a fuller construction update — including photographic progress and financial reporting from the construction manager — will be presented to the facilities committee at its next meeting on June 2. The district committed to reporting time-sensitive air-monitoring data and to continuing site controls intended to limit airborne particles migrating into the occupied school.
