Self-paced course · CIH-authored

Respiratory Protection

Choosing, fitting, wearing and maintaining respiratory protective equipment on Australian worksites. A 60-minute, self-paced, non-accredited awareness course with a Certificate of Completion.

Enrol — $99 AUD →Already enrolled? Continue

hour

modules

lessons

month validity

Learning outcomes

What you'll be able to do

Six outcomes, each measurable against the final assessment.

01

Place RPE correctly — explain why respirators sit at the bottom of the hierarchy of control and when they are legitimately needed

02

Match filter to hazard — choose the right particulate or gas/vapour filter class from the SDS and the task

03

Choose the right respirator — distinguish disposable, reusable, powered and air-supplied types and where each belongs

04

Get a seal — describe fit testing, fit checking and the things that break a seal

05

Wear and maintain it — don, doff, clean, inspect, store and replace filters correctly

06

Know the programme — describe what an RPE programme contains and the duties of the PCBU and the worker

Audience

Who this is for

Anyone who wears or issues a respirator at work — construction and demolition crews working with dust and silica, asbestos workers, welders and fabricators, spray painters and panel beaters, people handling solvents and isocyanates, agricultural workers, cleaners, supervisors and store persons who issue RPE. No prerequisites. This course is not a fit test and does not qualify you to carry out fit testing.

Curriculum

What's inside

7 modules of CIH-authored content, sequenced so each module builds on the last.

01
Why RPE is last
1 lesson
02
Matching filter to hazard
1 lesson
03
Types of respirator
1 lesson
04
Fit and the seal
1 lesson
05
Wearing and maintaining
1 lesson
06
Programme and duties
1 lesson
07
Knowledge check
1 lesson

On completion

Your certificate

Pass the final assessment and your certificate is issued automatically. It records the course title and version, the completion date, your assessment result, and a verifiable certificate ID.

Pass mark

80% on the final assessment

Award

Audit-ready certificate of completion

Verifiable

Unique cert ID — auditor-readable

Validity

12 months from completion

Aligned with

Standards & credibility

This course is aligned with the standards below. CPD hours are claimable; accreditation by an external body remains separate.

AS/NZS 1715 — Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment

AS/NZS 1716 — Respiratory protective devices

Model Work Health and Safety Regulations — personal protective equipment duties and hazardous chemicals (Safe Work Australia)

Safe Work Australia guidance on respiratory protective equipment

AS/NZS ISO 16975 — Respiratory protective devices: selection, use and maintenance (transition from AS/NZS 1715)

Authored and reviewed by a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH).

Why people take this course

Someone asked you for it.

This course teaches you to use respiratory protection correctly. It is not a fit test and it does not make you a fit tester — tight-fitting respirators must be fit tested by a competent person.

01

Site or subcontractor pack

Sites that mandate RPE increasingly want evidence that workers were trained in how to use it, not just issued with it.

02

You wear a respirator at work

Dust, fume, vapour or fibre — if RPE is part of your control measures, training is part of the duty.

03

You issue RPE to others

Supervisors and business owners who hand out masks need to know what they are handing out and why.

04

Before a fit test

Understanding how RPE works makes a fit testing appointment far more useful, and far more likely to pass.

Why it matters

A poor seal costs you most of the protection.

Last

RPE sits at the bottom of the hierarchy of control. Everything else should be tried first.

Stubble

Even a day of growth at the seal can compromise a tight-fitting respirator.

Every use

A fit check takes seconds and should happen every single time you put a respirator on.

Who it's for

Built for the trades who actually run into it.

Concreters

Tilers & stonemasons

Welders & boilermakers

Painters

Spray painters

Demolition

Plumbers

Carpenters

Foundry & fabrication

Agriculture

Cleaners

Supervisors who issue PPE

What you get

You have to actually pass it.

Ten scenario questions drawn from all six modules. Not definitions — decisions, like the ones you make on site.

80%

Pass mark. Eight correct out of ten.

Attempts. Fail all three and the course resets, so you work through the modules again before retesting.

6 mo

Access from purchase. Resetting does not cost you anything extra.

Before you enrol

What this course is — and is not

This course is

✓General awareness training on selecting and using respiratory protection
✓Evidence that you have been trained in the RPE you are issued
✓Written and reviewed by certified occupational hygiene professionals
✓Useful preparation before a fit testing appointment

This course is not

✕Nationally accredited training or a Statement of Attainment
✕A fit test, or a qualification to conduct fit testing on others
✕A substitute for an accredited fit tester where one is required
✕An RPE programme document for your business

FAQ

Common questions

Is this a fit test?

No. Fit testing is a physical test performed on your face by a competent person, and it cannot be done online. This course teaches you why fit testing matters and how to fit check, which makes a real fit test far more likely to pass.

Does this make me a fit tester?

No. Conducting fit tests on others requires separate, specific training — look for an accredited fit tester programme.

Is it nationally accredited?

No. This is a non-accredited awareness course and you receive a Certificate of Completion, not a Statement of Attainment.

I have a beard. Is that a problem?

For tight-fitting respirators, yes. Facial hair at the seal compromises protection regardless of how well the respirator is adjusted. The course covers the alternatives, including loose-fitting powered options.

What if I fail the knowledge check?

You get three attempts, with module-specific review between them. If you do not pass on the third, the course resets and you work through the modules again before retesting — at no extra cost. Your six-month access period is unchanged.

Can I buy for my crew?

Yes. Team seats start at ten and come with enrolment codes, a completion dashboard and an exportable register for audits. We accept purchase orders and invoicing — email info@ohconsultant.com.au.

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