OSIRIS is a monitoring system for non-fibrous dusts based on optical scattering methods. It was developed by HSE's Safety Engineering Laboratory primarily for use in the coal-mining industry as an alternative to gravimetric sampling. Up to eight dust monitors can be controlled by a microcomputer via a two-wire telemetry link at distances of up to 8 km. The paper reports the results of comparative tests between OSIRIS and the MRE 113A gravimetric sampler in a calm air dust box, in a wind tunnel and in field trials at two collieries. Results show that OSIRIS can be calibrated against the MRE 113A for a given dust and that the calibration is maintained over the normal working range of 0-40 mg m-3. Results of tests against a variety of available test dusts show that the physical and optical properties of the dust particles have a significant effect on the response of the instrument. OSIRIS therefore needs to be calibrated against a gravimetric sampler for each dust which it will be used to monitor. Once calibrated, OSIRIS would be useful in monitoring respirable dust concentrations in a wide range of industrial or laboratory situations.