Respiratory Protection – OSHA Training Course Description

Breathing hazards take many forms, from ordinary dust and fumes to atmospheres without enough oxygen, and they turn up on jobsites across a wide range of industries. Where these hazards exist, workers must wear respiratory protection certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

This course covers the fundamentals: the hazards respirators guard against, the kinds of respirators available, and how to select, use, maintain, and store them correctly.

Course Content

This course includes the following topics:

• Respiratory hazards: dusts, fibers, mists, fumes, biological contaminants, gases, and vapors
• Oxygen-deficient atmospheres and IDLH conditions
• How to choose the right respirator for the hazard
• Air-purifying respirators: filters and chemical cartridges
• Atmosphere-supplying respirators, SCBAs, and combination units
• Filter classes and what protection levels mean
• Fit testing and getting the right fit
• Putting your respirator on correctly
• User seal checks: negative pressure, positive pressure, and disposable models
• Taking care of your respirator: inspection, filter changes, cleaning, and storage

What You Will Learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify the respiratory hazards you may face at work and describe what they do
• Tell the different types of respirators apart and know when each one is appropriate
• Follow the basic steps for putting on and wearing your respirator correctly
• Define a user seal check and perform one
• Inspect your respirator, change filters and cartridges, clean it, and store it properly

Why Respiratory Protection Training Matters

Respiratory hazards do their damage quietly. Silica dust, welding fumes, solvent vapors, and oxygen-deficient spaces do not always trigger an immediate reaction, which is exactly why they are so dangerous. By the time symptoms appear, the exposure has already happened. The respirator on your face is only as good as your understanding of what it protects against and whether it actually fits.

This course is for workers who wear respirators on the job: painters, welders, abrasive blasters, chemical handlers, confined space entrants, and anyone working where dust, fumes, gases, or low oxygen may be present. It covers the OSHA respiratory protection basics that every respirator user needs, from selection through storage.

Course details (as of October 2026): This course takes about 60 minutes to complete. You need a score of 80% to pass, and you have three attempts at the final test.