Australia's Workplace Exposure Standards become Workplace Exposure Limits, with many limits cut by 60–90%. Our free white paper shows which substances change, what it means for your industry, and when your respiratory protection needs to step up.
What's changing
From 1 December 2026, the WEL list replaces WES in Commonwealth, state and territory WHS laws. Until then, the current WES still applies. The transition window is the time to identify affected substances and review your controls.
Free white paper
A practical overview of the shift from WES to WEL, prepared by an Australian Certified Occupational Hygienist and drawn from Safe Work Australia's own reference on the changes.
Inside the paper
Downloads instantly. We'll email you a copy too.
Industry case studies
A snapshot of key sectors. Each full case study, with exposure sources and control options, is in the white paper.
The new 8-hour TWA of 0.01 mg/m³ is around ten times lower than typical current mining guidance. Loaders, trucks and service vehicles are the main sources.
Full case study in the white paper →Softwood dust drops from 5 to 2 mg/m³. Sawing, sanding and clean-up all add to a worker's overall exposure.
Full case study in the white paper →Limits fall from 5 to 0.5 mg/m³. Paver operators, screed operators and hot-repair crews are among the most exposed roles.
Full case study in the white paper →Diacetyl, 2,3-pentanedione and flour (cereal) dust are newly listed. Weighing, mixing and flavouring are common exposure points.
Full case study in the white paper →Manganese, tungsten, zinc and cadmium limits all reduce, prompting a fresh look at local exhaust ventilation and RPE for welding tasks.
Full case study in the white paper →Talk to us
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FAQ
Reviewed September 2026 · Prepared with input from an Australian Certified Occupational Hygienist · Referenced to Safe Work Australia
Tell us about your site and we'll recommend Maxisafe PPE solutions to suit.
Contact usPossibly. Where a limit has dropped sharply, the Minimum Required Protection Factor increases — which can mean moving from a half-face respirator to a full-face or powered air-purifying respirator.
Divide the ambient airborne concentration of the contaminant by the workplace exposure limit. Compare the result against the AS/NZS 1715 protection factor tables to identify suitable categories of RPE. A qualified occupational hygienist can confirm the calculation for your workplace, and Maxisafe can help you find RPE solutions that meet it.
Air monitoring is needed when it's unclear whether a contaminant exceeds its exposure limit, or to confirm health risks. Gravimetric sampling and real-time detection are the two common approaches — a qualified occupational hygienist can advise on the right monitoring approach for your site.
Flag which substances in a customer's workplace fall under the new additions or reduced-limit tables, and lead with the specific chemical and percentage change relevant to their industry rather than a generic compliance notice.
Safe Work Australia publishes the complete list in "Changes to Workplace Exposure Limits" on its website, alongside its Airborne Contaminants resource hub.
The Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) list takes effect on 1 December 2026, once adopted into Commonwealth, state and territory WHS laws.
It becomes enforceable once adopted into Commonwealth, state and territory WHS laws, from 1 December 2026. Until then, the current WES remains the compliance requirement.
PCBUs must continue complying with the current WES until the WEL takes effect. The transition period is a practical window to identify affected substances and review controls ahead of the deadline.
Safe Work Australia develops model WHS policy but is not itself a regulator. Enforcement sits with state, territory and Commonwealth WHS regulators, and applicable mining-specific regulators where relevant.
PCBU stands for Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking — the WHS term for an employer or operator responsible for eliminating or minimising workplace health and safety risks.
A Workplace Exposure Standard is the maximum airborne concentration of a contaminant that shouldn't be exceeded under defined conditions. Australia first adopted WES in 1995, and more than 600 substances currently have one.
A WEL is the revised version of a WES, generally set at a lower, more protective threshold. WEL replaces WES in Australia from 1 December 2026.
WES are the current limits, first adopted in 1995. WEL are the revised, generally lower limits replacing them from 1 December 2026, following a review that began in 2018 and closed for public consultation in 2021.
A TWA is the average concentration of a contaminant over an 8-hour day, 5-day week. Short high exposures can be offset by longer low exposures, which is why most exposure standards are expressed as a TWA.
A STEL is a 15-minute average exposure limit for substances that can cause acute effects after brief, high exposures. It's typically set around twice the TWA and must not be exceeded.
A Peak Limitation is a concentration that must never be exceeded at any time during a work period, regardless of the overall shift average. It applies to substances where even brief spikes pose a health risk.
An NTGC is a substance that can cause genetic damage with no level of exposure considered safe. From 1 December 2026, 33 NTGCs lose their numeric exposure limit — PCBUs must eliminate or substitute them instead.
DSEN marks substances that can cause an allergic response through skin contact. RSEN marks substances that can cause hypersensitivity of the airways when inhaled. Both replace the single "SEN" notation used under WES.
MRPF is the lowest level of respiratory protection needed to reduce a wearer's exposure below the exposure limit. It's calculated by dividing the ambient airborne concentration by the workplace exposure limit.