Total & Respirable Dust Testing Laboratory
Gravimetric dust analysis via NIOSH 0500 (total) and NIOSH 0600 (respirable) from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited Houston lab. Personal exposure monitoring, substance-specific PEL compliance, and combined dust + silica co-analysis — OSHA and NIOSH standards accepted nationwide.
Airborne dust is invisible at dangerous concentrations — monitoring is the only proof controls work
OSHA PNOR Enforcement
OSHA's PNOR limits — 15 mg/m³ total, 5 mg/m³ respirable — apply when no substance-specific PEL exists. Dozens of specific substances (wood dust, grain, coal, cotton) carry their own lower PELs. Citations follow failure to monitor and control.
Chronic Lung Disease
Long-term inhalation of fine respirable particles causes irreversible conditions — occupational asthma, COPD, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and chronic bronchitis. Gravimetric monitoring is the baseline tool for quantifying risk and justifying engineering controls.
Legal & Insurance Defense
Documented air monitoring history from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory is the primary legal defense against occupational lung disease claims. No monitoring history = no defense. OSHA requires records retained for at least 30 years.
Control Verification
LEV systems, water suppression, enclosures, and process changes reduce dust generation — but only air sampling confirms the reduction meets regulatory limits. Pre- and post-control monitoring is required documentation for engineering change records.
What Is Total & Respirable Dust Testing?
Professional dust testing is the process of collecting airborne particulate matter from a worker's breathing zone or a work area using a calibrated sampling pump and filter media, then precisely weighing the collected dust in our laboratory using analytical microbalances accurate to 0.001 mg.
The result — reported in milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/m³) — is compared to applicable OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) or NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limits (RELs). For respirable dust in silica-generating environments, the same filter can proceed directly to XRD analysis (NIOSH 7500) for crystalline silica quantification without re-sampling.
- Total airborne particulate monitoring — NIOSH 0500 (all particle sizes)
- Respirable fraction monitoring — NIOSH 0600 with cyclone size selector
- Combined dust + crystalline silica from one filter (NIOSH 0600 + 7500)
- Wood dust, grain dust, coal dust, and cotton dust testing and monitoring
- Area, task-specific, and engineering control validation sampling
- Personal breathing-zone exposure assessments for OSHA PEL compliance
Total Dust vs. Respirable Dust — Key Differences
Choosing the wrong fraction for your dust testing scenario can result in invalid data. Here's exactly when OSHA and NIOSH require each fraction, what media they use, and what limits apply.
Four Dust Analysis Methods
Every dust testing method at AGT Labs uses precision microbalances traceable to NIST standards. Filter pairs are conditioned in a desiccator before and after sampling to eliminate humidity effects on mass readings.
Total Airborne Particulate
Gravimetric analysis of all airborne particles collected by open-face cassette. Appropriate for nuisance dust, wood dust, grain dust, and any substance where OSHA specifies a total dust PEL. Reports total mass collected and mg/m³ concentration.
Respirable Dust Gravimetric
Cyclone-separated respirable fraction weighing. Used in all environments where fine particle penetration to the pulmonary region is the primary concern — silica, coal, hard metals, mineral dusts. Can proceed directly to silica XRD analysis.
Combined Dust + Silica (XRD)
Our most requested analysis for construction, mining, and foundry environments. A single PVC filter is gravimetrically weighed for total respirable dust (NIOSH 0600), then subjected to XRD analysis (NIOSH 7500) for quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite. Two compliance datasets from one sample, one pump, one shift.
Substance-Specific Dust Testing
When the dust contains a substance with its own OSHA PEL (wood, grain, coal, cotton, flour), we report against that specific limit. Includes coal mine dust analysis per OSHA ID-125G, wood dust analysis for OSHA 1910.1000 Table Z-1, and grain dust per 29 CFR 1910.272.
Dust-Specific OSHA PELs & NIOSH RELs
When a substance-specific PEL exists, it replaces the PNOR general limit — and is almost always lower. AGT Labs reports against the applicable specific standard in your sample report.
| Dust Type | Fraction | OSHA PEL | NIOSH REL | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNOR (Nuisance Dust) | Total | 15 mg/m³ | 10 mg/m³ | OSHA Z-1 |
| PNOR (Nuisance Dust) | Respirable | 5 mg/m³ | 3 mg/m³ | OSHA Z-1 |
| Wood Dust (all species) | Total | 5 mg/m³ | 1 mg/m³ | OSHA Z-1 / NIOSH |
| Wood Dust (western red cedar) | Total | 5 mg/m³ | 0.5 mg/m³ | NIOSH REL (sensitizer) |
| Grain Dust (wheat, corn, barley) | Total | 10 mg/m³ | 4 mg/m³ | 29 CFR 1910.272 |
| Cotton Dust (raw) | Total (lint-free) | 1 mg/m³ | 0.2 mg/m³ | 29 CFR 1910.1043 |
| Coal Mine Dust | Respirable | 2.0 mg/m³ | 1.0 mg/m³ | OSHA ID-125G / MSHA |
| Flour Dust | Total | 15 mg/m³ (PNOR) | 0.5 mg/m³ | NIOSH REL |
| Crystalline Silica (Quartz) | Respirable | 50 µg/m³ | 50 µg/m³ | OSHA 1910.1053 |
* Silica results in µg/m³, all other dust limits in mg/m³. OSHA PELs as 8-hour TWA. Contact AGT Labs for substance-specific limit guidance before sampling. Ask our scientists →
Turnaround Times & Free Sampling Media
Sampling Media & Equipment
- Pre-weighed 37mm PVC filters (5.0 µm pore) — gravimetric & XRD compatible
- Matched tare-weight filter pairs for precision gravimetry
- Open-face cassettes for total dust (NIOSH 0500)
- Closed-face cassettes + cyclones for respirable dust (NIOSH 0600)
- Dorr-Oliver nylon cyclones (1.7 L/min) & SKC aluminum cyclones (2.5 L/min)
- Calibrated personal air sampling pumps — loaner program
- Field blank filters (pre-labeled)
- Industrial Hygiene Chain of Custody form + pre-paid return shipping
Kits ship via UPS Ground with 5 business days notice. Houston metro courier pickup available: (713) 453-6090.
Dust Sampling Field Requirements
Gravimetric accuracy depends entirely on correct field technique. Filter moisture, pump flow drift, and cassette handling errors can invalidate results even when the laboratory work is perfect.
From Sample Collection to Certified Dust Report
Request Media & Pumps
Contact AGT Labs for pre-weighed PVC filters, cassettes, cyclones, and loaner pumps. Allow 5 business days. Houston pickup available.
Deploy & Sample
Place pump in breathing zone. Match flow rate to sampler. Record pre/post calibration flows and total volume on IH COC form.
Ship to Houston Lab
Keep cassettes upright. Ship via UPS with pre-paid label. Received before 2:00 PM CST = same-day log-in and weigh-in.
Gravimetric Analysis
Filters desiccated and precision-weighed on NIST-traceable microbalances. Combined orders proceed to XRD silica analysis on the same filter.
Compliance Report
Results on secure portal — mg/m³ concentration, TWA, OSHA PEL comparison, LOD, analyst signature, accreditation number.
Who Relies on AGT Labs for Dust Testing
Construction & Demolition
Concrete cutting, drywall sanding, demolition, and masonry work — respirable dust testing (NIOSH 0600) paired with silica XRD for comprehensive OSHA 1926.1153 Table 1 alternative documentation on Gulf Coast job sites.
Woodworking & Lumber
Sawmills, cabinet shops, flooring manufacturers, and millwork operations — total dust monitoring (NIOSH 0500) against the OSHA wood dust PEL of 5 mg/m³ and NIOSH REL of 1 mg/m³ for all wood species.
Grain Handling & Food Processing
Grain elevators, flour mills, food ingredient processors — total dust monitoring (NIOSH 0500) against OSHA grain dust PEL (10 mg/m³) and NIOSH REL (4 mg/m³). Grain dust is also explosible — monitoring supports dual safety and hygiene programs.
Mining & Aggregate
Surface and underground mining — coal mine dust (OSHA ID-125G / MSHA), respirable mineral dust, and combined silica co-analysis. AGT Labs XRD results are accepted for MSHA compliance documentation.
IH Consultants & EH&S
Industrial hygiene consulting firms, environmental health & safety departments, and third-party monitoring contractors — accredited gravimetric results formatted for client reports, OSHA response packages, and engineering control ROI documentation.
Chemical & Pharmaceutical
Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) powder handling, chemical manufacturing, and pigment production — substance-specific dust monitoring with reporting against OSHA PELs, NIOSH RELs, and OELs for proprietary compounds on request.
Total & Respirable Dust Testing — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between total dust and respirable dust?
What are the OSHA PELs for total and respirable dust?
Do I need a cyclone for dust testing and sampling?
Can you analyze dust and silica from the same filter?
What is the OSHA PEL for wood dust?
What is the OSHA PEL for grain dust?
What turnaround times do you offer for dust testing and gravimetric analysis?
What media do I need for combined dust + silica sampling?
Do you provide sampling pumps and equipment?
Ready to Submit Samples for Dust Testing or Request Media?
ISO/IEC 17025 accredited · AIHA LAP · NIOSH 0500 · NIOSH 0600 · Dust + Silica Co-Analysis · Rush TAT · Houston TX
