Inhalation Hazards Toolbox Talk

Inhalation hazards are airborne materials that can enter the body through breathing. Dust, fumes, vapors, gases, smoke, mist, silica, mold, exhaust, solvents, coatings, adhesives, and chemical cleaners can harm workers before the hazard is easy to see or smell.

This talk focuses on recognizing inhalation hazards, using ventilation and respiratory protection, keeping exposure under control, watching for symptoms, and stopping work when the air is not safe.

Why This Matters

• Breathing hazardous air can cause coughing, headaches, dizziness, nausea, irritation, lung damage, poisoning, or long-term illness.
• Some gases and vapors have little or no warning smell at dangerous levels.
• Dust and fumes can spread to nearby crews, occupied areas, stairwells, trailers, basements, and air intakes.
• Respirators only work when they are the correct type, fit tested, inspected, and worn properly.
• Ventilation, wet methods, containment, and work practices should be used to control the hazard before relying only on PPE.

Common Hazards

• Cutting, grinding, drilling, sanding, sweeping, or chipping concrete, masonry, drywall, wood, or coated materials.
• Welding, torch cutting, soldering, brazing, or burning on painted, galvanized, stainless, or unknown metals.
• Using solvents, paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants, cleaners, fuels, or chemicals in poorly ventilated areas.
• Running generators, compressors, heaters, saws, pumps, forklifts, or other fuel-powered equipment indoors or near openings.
• Working around mold, sewage, bird droppings, insulation, contaminated dust, or disturbed debris.
• Air movement carrying dust, fumes, or vapors from another trade into your work area without warning.

Safety Checklist

Before Work Begins

• Identify what airborne hazards the task may create and who could be exposed.
• Review the safety data sheet, exposure control plan, work permit, or task plan before starting.
• Set up controls such as ventilation, exhaust, wet methods, dust collection, barriers, or isolation where needed.
• Confirm the required respirator, filter, or cartridge matches the hazard and the worker has been fit tested when required.
• Inspect respirators, straps, seals, valves, cartridges, filters, hoses, and powered units before use.
• Check whether air monitoring, carbon monoxide monitoring, oxygen testing, or flammable vapor testing is required.

During Work

• Keep dust, fumes, mist, smoke, vapors, and exhaust moving away from the breathing zone.
• Keep ventilation, water, vacuums, dust collectors, and other exposure controls running as planned.
• Do not dry sweep, blow dust with compressed air, or remove controls unless the plan allows it.
• Leave the exposure area before removing or adjusting a respirator.
• Watch for symptoms such as coughing, burning eyes, headache, dizziness, nausea, chest tightness, shortness of breath, or confusion.
• Keep nearby workers out of the exposure area unless they have the required protection.

Crew Talking Points

• What airborne hazards could today’s work create?
• Where will dust, fumes, vapors, smoke, or exhaust travel once work starts?
• What ventilation, wet methods, dust collection, barriers, or respirators are required?
• Has each worker been trained and fit tested for the respirator being used?
• What symptoms should the crew report right away?
• Speak up if you smell strong fumes, see dust spreading, feel symptoms, notice ventilation problems, or are unsure what respiratory protection is required.

Stop Work If

• The airborne hazard is unknown or the safety data sheet, exposure control plan, or required controls are not available.
• Ventilation, dust collection, wet methods, containment, monitoring, or respirators are not working or not in place.
• Workers feel dizzy, sick, short of breath, confused, irritated, or have chest tightness, coughing, or burning eyes.
• Fuel-powered equipment is producing exhaust in an enclosed or poorly ventilated area.
• Respirators are damaged, not fit tested, wrong for the hazard, hard to breathe through, or not sealing properly.
• Dust, fumes, vapors, mist, smoke, or gases are spreading to other workers, occupied areas, air intakes, or confined spaces.

Final Reminder

You cannot always see or smell bad air before it hurts you. Control the source, ventilate the area, wear the right respirator, and stop work when the air is not safe to breathe.