About this session
Manufacturing respiratory risk shifts as workstations, materials, ventilation, and neighboring processes change.
Production dusts, metalworking fluid mists, welding and thermal-cutting fumes, powders, coatings and solvent vapors, and process emissions can cause serious harm even when contamination is not visible or noticeable by smell.
Guided by the NIOSH hierarchy of controls, participants plan elimination, substitution, isolation, local extraction, wet methods, and safer housekeeping before relying on respiratory protective equipment.
They examine RPE selection, fit testing, face-seal limits, health surveillance, symptom reporting, incidents, and emergency actions.
The multi-week format helps teams test controls across changing production periods while supervisors use competent occupational-hygiene assessment when hazards or exposures remain uncertain.
What your people take away
- Identify manufacturing processes that generate hazardous dusts, fumes, vapors, and mists
- Apply source controls and wet or extracted methods before relying on RPE
- Verify controls across changing workstations and nearby process activities
- Stop work and escalate when materials, permits, or controls are uncertain
- Report respiratory symptoms, exposure incidents, and failed controls promptly
- Escalate uncertain exposures for competent occupational-hygiene assessment
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- What each length covers, 30 minutes to full day
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What each length covers
30 minutes
30 Minutes — Key Points: Understanding How Plant Air ChangesA focused 30-minute session on three key points from Understanding How Plant Air Changes: explore how airborne hazards are created, understand why air quality is not always obvious and recognize exposure beyond normal production.
- Explore how airborne hazards are created
- Understand why air quality is not always obvious
- Recognize exposure beyond normal production
Covers 3 of 4 points in Understanding How Plant Air Changes.
60 minutes
Covers 1 of 4 parts: Understanding How Plant Air Changes.
90 minutes
Covers 2 of 4 parts: Understanding How Plant Air Changes and Controlling Emissions Before They Spread.
3 hours
Covers 3 of 4 parts: Understanding How Plant Air Changes, Controlling Emissions Before They Spread and Understanding the Role and Limits of RPE.
Full day
Covers all 4 parts.
What’s covered
Understanding How Plant Air Changes
Every length- Explore how airborne hazards are createdThe session begins by examining how materials, production processes, equipment and ventilation can influence the air around different workstations.
- Understand why air quality is not always obviousThe group looks at why visibility and smell cannot reliably indicate whether exposure is present or controlled.
- Recognize exposure beyond normal productionAttention turns to setup, cleanup, maintenance, breakdowns, spill response and other activities that may change normal exposure patterns.
- Know when uncertainty requires escalationAttendees examine the importance of labels, safety information, process knowledge, assessments and maintenance history when unfamiliar conditions arise.
Controlling Emissions Before They Spread
90 minutes and longer- Understand why source control comes firstThe session explores the hierarchy of controls and why preventing, reducing or capturing emissions at source is generally more effective than relying primarily on personal protection.
- Compare different control approachesThe group looks at options such as enclosure, local extraction, wet methods, lower-emission processes and changes to equipment or materials.
- Recognize when controls are no longer performingAttention turns to changes in airflow, equipment condition, maintenance, filters, production rate or process setup that may affect control performance.
- Include housekeeping in exposure controlAttendees explore how cleaning, waste handling and settled contamination can influence airborne exposure across the plant.
Understanding the Role and Limits of RPE
3 hours and longer- Explore how respiratory protection fits into the control systemThe session examines when respiratory protective equipment may form part of an overall exposure-control strategy.
- Understand fit, compatibility and real-world useThe group looks at fit testing, face seals, compatibility with other PPE and the practical realities of wearing respiratory protection during manufacturing work.
- Recognize respiratory health changesAttention turns to patterns such as coughing, wheezing, breathlessness, irritation or symptoms associated with particular tasks or areas.
- Know the limits of normal RPE in an emergencyAttendees examine circumstances such as significant releases, unknown atmospheres, sudden breathing difficulty or control failure.
Building Organizational Confidence in Air Controls
Full day only- Understand when specialist assessment is neededThe final module explores when routine plant checks are no longer enough and occupational-hygiene expertise may be required.
- Recognize how neighboring processes affect exposureThe session looks at how emissions, ventilation changes, open enclosures and shared workspaces can influence people outside the original process.
- Use multiple sources of informationThe group examines worker reports, exposure data, maintenance records, health-surveillance themes, control inspections and incidents as different sources of evidence.
- Build ownership and continuous reviewThe session closes by examining how supervisors, engineering, maintenance, safety, occupational health and production leaders contribute to respiratory-risk control.
How booking works
- Book online. Create a free Workbliss profile, then pay with session credits, by card or by invoice.
- Pick a date. Choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or book now and set the date later.
- Choose your expert. Within 3 working days, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date.
- We deliver it. Your expert is briefed on your people and goals, then runs the session live online or at your site.
Questions about Dust, Fume & Plant Air
How long is Dust, Fume & Plant Air?
Dust, Fume & Plant Air runs as 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 3 hours or full day. You choose the length when you book. A 30-minute session covers three key points from Understanding How Plant Air Changes: explore how airborne hazards are created, understand why air quality is not always obvious and recognize exposure beyond normal production. A 60-minute session covers Understanding How Plant Air Changes in full, with a live Q&A. A 90-minute session adds Controlling Emissions Before They Spread. A 3-hour session adds Understanding the Role and Limits of RPE. A full-day session adds Building Organizational Confidence in Air Controls.
Can Dust, Fume & Plant Air be delivered online or in person?
Yes, both. It runs live online, so every office can join at the same time, or in person at your site, in any country.
How do we book Dust, Fume & Plant Air?
Create a free Workbliss profile with your work email, then open Dust, Fume & Plant Air to see the price for each length and book it. You can pay with session credits, by card or by invoice, and choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or set it later.
Who leads the session?
A vetted Workbliss expert, briefed on your people, culture and goals before the session. After you book, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date within 3 working days, so you can choose who leads it.
Can it be tailored to our company?
Yes. Every session is shaped around your goals, your people and the benefits you already offer, and delivered by experts in your people’s languages.