OnAire with SonicAire

What causes combustible dust explosions, and how can manufacturers reduce their risk? In this episode of the OnAire Podcast, Jordan and Taylor discuss the recent combustible dust explosion at a wood processing facility in Maine that resulted in multiple injuries and the tragic loss of two first responders. The conversation explores why combustible dust remains a serious hazard across industries, i...

In this episode, we break down the real combustible dust explosions that happened in 2025 and 2026—and the hard lessons every facility needs to learn from them. These aren’t old case studies. These are recent incidents in grain, biofuel, and metal facilities—some resulting in injuries, fatalities, and devastating damage. The truth? Most of these events were preventable.   🔍 What We Cover: The 202...

What does it take to build a company that helps prevent combustible dust disasters—not just clean up after them? In this special episode of OnAire, Taylor switches chairs and puts the spotlight on Jordan, SonicAire’s President and Owner, to share the story behind the mission. Jordan grew up in Reidsville, North Carolina, with grease under his fingernails—learning to fix machines the old-school way...

In this episode of OnAire, we kick off 2026 with a powerful conversation with Travis Davis, Operations Manager at a major grain elevator in Kansas. Travis shares how he helped develop and implement SonicAire’s first-ever Class II Division 1 certified fan for hazardous grain environments. If you’ve ever wondered: “Can a fan really help with dust in a grain elevator?” “Why hasn’t the grain industry...

Featuring: Jana and Mark from Osprey, SonicAire’s trusted European partners in engineered dust control.   The Big Idea: Fans don’t always create dust clouds. SonicAire fan systems prevent them.   In this international episode of the OnAire Podcast, we sit down with our partners from Osprey, based in France, to explore a powerful truth: combustible dust control is misunderstood by regulators, insur...

Can universities help prevent industrial explosions? In this episode of the OnAire Podcast, we sit down with Jonathan McPherson, an industry educator and dust safety expert from Kansas State University’s Powder & Bulk Solids Lab, to talk about real-world challenges in dust collection, fugitive dust, and how education is bridging the gap between theory and plant-floor reality.   🔎 Whether you'...

In this episode of the OnAire Podcast, we’re joined by Diane Cave, a powerhouse in the combustible dust world with 20+ years of experience helping facilities uncover and address hidden hazards. If you're a plant manager, engineer, or EH&S leader, this episode is your no-fluff, real-world guide to doing Dust Hazard Analyses (DHAs) right—and what happens when you don’t. TL;DR: A vague Dust Hazar...

What happens when a customer becomes part of your product development team? Meet Tommy Cocanougher, a 30-year veteran with Cintas and one of SonicAire’s longest “non-employee employees.” From dreaded Saturday lint blowdowns to helping co-develop the SonicAire portable fan, Tommy’s story is proof that innovation starts with listening to the people on the frontlines. In this episode of the OnAire Po...

🎙️ Back Where It All Began: Trade Shows, Tragedy, and Turning Points | OnAire Podcast   In this episode of the OnAire Podcast, hosts Jordan and Taylor take you behind the scenes of SonicAire’s recent return to The Clean Show in Orlando—one of the laundry industry’s premier events. From early memories at the booth in 2009 to partnering with major brands like Cintas, it’s a nostalgic look at how far...

🎧 OnAire Episode 7 | Real-World Lessons in Safety Culture and Change How do you turn safety from a checklist into a shared mindset? In this episode of OnAire, we sit down with the Environmental Health and Safety Manager of a leading building materials distributor that specializes in doors and millwork. He shares how he helped lead a cultural shift across multiple locations by starting with people...

Are you a plant manager dealing with combustible dust? In this episode of the SonicAire OnAire podcast, Jordan and Taylor break down the Top 4 Dust Control Essentials you need to know to keep your facility safe, compliant, and productive. They’ll cover: ✅ How to spot and manage fugitive dust ✅ What your dust collector is (and isn’t) doing for you ✅ Why documentation like DHAs and housekeeping p...

This one’s more than a podcast—it’s a story of how a mission trip, a tragic accident, and a plane ride over the Gulf of Mexico led to a better way to serve our customers. In this episode of the OnAire Podcast, we sit down with Rob Nelson, Director of Services at SonicAire, and unpack the wild, winding journey that shaped how we show up for our customers today. You’ll laugh (think gator metaphors a...

Grain dust explosion caught on camera. Five injuries. No fatalities. But what if the next one is worse? In this episode of OnAire, Jordan and Taylor break down a recent explosion at a grain facility in Sunray, Texas and discuss what really causes these events and why the secondary explosion is often the most devastating part. You’ll also hear: ✅ What the new NFPA 660 standard means for dust safet...

Welcome back to the OnAire Podcast, where we dig into all things fugitive dust – that fine, floating troublemaker that sneaks away from your process and creates big risks in hard-to-reach places. In this episode, we’re joined by Jerry Peters, a 30-year safety veteran and former recycling industry pro, who shares real-world insight into the challenges of combustible dust – and how he tackled them w...

Dust collection is only half the battle! In this episode of OnAire by SonicAire, we dive deep into the evolution of dust management with Chuck Morrison, VP of Sales at SonicAire. Discover the critical difference between dust collection vs. fugitive dust control—and why ignoring airborne dust could put your facility at risk.   🔥 Topics covered: ✅ The history & future of dust management ✅ The...

Is your facility at risk for combustible dust hazards? SonicAire has spent years developing cutting-edge fan technology to prevent dust buildup—and now, our newest fan is Class II, Division 1 certified. But getting that certification wasn’t easy. In this episode, Jordan sits down with Taylor Andrews, SonicAire’s Director of Operations, to pull back the curtain on the three-year battle to meet UL’s...