AIHA University Webinar: The State of the Science: Highlights from the Respirable Crystalline Silica and Metals Symposium

Earn 1.5 Contact Hours

****Registration Opening Soon****

Member $140 | Nonmember $185 | Student $25

This webinar provides an overview of key scientific, regulatory, and technical developments presented at the 2026 Respirable Crystalline Silica and Other Minerals and Metals Symposium. The program will examine current knowledge regarding the health risks associated with respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and other mineral and metal dusts, while highlighting evolving approaches to exposure assessment, monitoring, and control.

Participants will explore the scientific basis for current and emerging regulatory requirements, advances in sampling and analytical methods, and the growing role of real-time exposure monitoring technologies. The webinar will also address emerging research, workplace exposure scenarios, and innovations in prevention strategies that may influence occupational health and safety practices. Additionally, participants will have a broader understanding of current challenges and emerging developments in the management of RCS and other mineral and metal dust exposures, as well as practical approaches for applying this knowledge within occupational health and safety program

Designed for occupational health professionals, industrial hygienists, safety engineers, and related practitioners, the webinar will translate symposium content into practical considerations for evaluating workplace exposures and developing effective risk-management strategies. Emphasis will be placed on integrating exposure data, regulatory requirements, monitoring technologies, and the hierarchy of controls to support informed decision-making and effective worker protection.

Learning Objectives
After this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify key health risks, exposure determinants, and emerging concerns associated with respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and other mineral and metal dusts.
• Analyze current regulatory requirements and scientific evidence to inform workplace exposure assessment and risk-management decisions.
• Outline appropriate sampling, analytical, and real-time monitoring approaches for evaluating occupational exposures to respirable dusts.
• Discuss integrated exposure-control strategies and emerging technologies that can be applied to strengthen worker protection and inform occupational health and safety practices.

Presenters 

Scott Dotson PhD, CIH, DABT, FAIHA
Dr. Scott Dotson is a Principal Scientist at Insight Exposure & Risk Sciences Group. He is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT). He has over 20 years of experience in toxicology, industrial hygiene, human health risk assessment, and occupational health and safety. His work experience includes more than a decade as a health scientist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Dr. Dotson's professional and research efforts have focused on characterizing the risk of adverse health effects associated with exposures to a diverse range of chemicals, exposure routes, and exposure scenarios (e.g., occupational, environmental, and consumer). He has led the development of occupational exposure limits and exposure recommendations for industrial chemicals and pharmaceutical ingredients.

Jacob Persky, MPH, CIH
Mr. Persky is a Principal and Co-founder of RHP Risk Management, an exposure sciences and Environmental Health & Safety consulting firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. He is a board-certified Industrial Hygienist and serves as Practice Leader for RHP’s Exposure Sciences Laboratory, which specializes in measuring inhalation and dermal exposures associated with consumer products and occupational scenarios. His work supports the development of exposure model inputs, validation of mathematical exposure models, and risk-based decision-making. Mr. Persky’s recent research has focused on evaluating inhalation exposures to RCS for different combinations of tool use and engineering controls during stone countertop fabrication. He also advises clients on emerging regulatory drivers related to consumer product ingredients, including California Proposition 65, IARC classifications, and TSCA-related chemical evaluations conducted by the U.S. EPA.

Emanuele Cauda, PhD
Dr. Emanuele Cauda is a professional operating at the intersection of research and practice in occupational health and safety. His work focuses on exposure assessment methodologies, sensor technologies, systems and decision-making frameworks, and the transformation of data into actionable knowledge that supports prevention. His research has been widely disseminated through more than one hundred peer-reviewed publications developed in collaboration with colleagues across academia, government, and industry worldwide. He has presented extensively at national and international conferences and has been invited to deliver keynote lectures globally. After 19 years at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), where he held both technical and leadership roles, Dr. Cauda now works as an independent professional and serves as a professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. He also contributes to international technical leadership through roles with the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

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