The line in the sand is being drawn. For years, Australian businesses have operated under Workplace Exposure Standards (WES). But as of December 1, 2026, the game changes. Safe Work Australia is officially transitioning to Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs), a shift from guideline language to strictly enforceable legal limits. Why the change? This isn’t just a name change. The new WEL list incorporates the latest health evidence to better protect workers from occupational lung diseases and chemical toxicity. For many sectors, the allowable levels of airborne contaminants are dropping significantly. What does this mean for your industry? Transport & Warehousing: A new, ultra-low limit for Diesel Particulate Matter (0.01 mg/m³) will now apply to any site using diesel plant or forklifts indoors. Construction & Joinery: Softwood dust limits are being slashed from 5 mg/m³ to 2 mg/m³. Food Manufacturing: Flour dust now has a dedicated, 20x tighter limit of 0.5 mg/m³. Mining & Quarrying: Continued tightening of Respirable Crystalline Silica and coal dust standards. Have a look at the Safe Work Australia’s Changes to Workplace Exposure Limits document for more information specific to your industry, exposure substances and the changes. Why now? A review of the WES, for the first time since 2003, was conducted to ensure it continues to be based on current health evidence and a couple of details were found prompting the update to WEL: more evidence has emerged in relation to the harmful effects, and the thresholds for many chemicals, requiring not only changes to some substance exposure limits but adding more chemicals to the WEL list. the language around standards compared to limits better aligns with international use and reflects the legal requirements of these limits and they are not to be exceeded. What should I do? All businesses should prepare for the adoption of the WEL during the transition period, ending on 30 November 2026. You should be undertaking steps to identifying, assessing and controlling the risk posed by airborne contaminant hazard in your workplace. Identifying the hazard – consult the WEL list to see what airborne contaminants you use or generate in the workplace and what the new additions and limits after 1 December 2026 are. Assess the hazard – ensure that no worker is exposed to an airborne concentration of an airborne contaminant that is higher than the WEL. If you are unsure if you exceed the WEL or not, air monitoring will need to be conducted. Control the hazard – identify and implement applicable controls to ensure that your workplace does not exceed the WEL. Always aim to eliminate the airborne contaminants, but where this is not reasonably practicable, you must minimise the risk posed by the hazard by following the hierarchy of controls. Review controls – initiate an initial review of all control measures to make sure they work as planned. Implement a regular review schedule to ensure they continue to work accordingly, and health monitoring programs where mandated. Adjust controls as required. Don’t wait for the December deadline Under the new framework, meeting the standard is no longer enough. businesses must demonstrate you have applied the hierarchy of control and are actively monitoring worker health. How WHA Supports You As a leading occupational health provider, we deliver the clinical data you need to prove compliance. From baseline health surveillance to annual health monitoring such as lung function testing (Spirometry), we ensure your workforce is protected and your business is audit-ready before the new limits take effect. A Modern Approach to Occupational Health WHA’s focus is on delivering strategic alignment between health outcomes and operational efficiency, ensuring that every worker is fit for their specific role and every employer has the data they need to maintain a safe work environment and protect their most valuable asset, their people. About Workforce Health Assessors (WHA) Established in 2004, WHA is a national leading provider of workforce medical assessment services with a network of 75 WHA operated clinics, supported by more than 300 affiliate partners, servicing customers across Australia and New Zealand. WHA is committed to supplying a client focused, clinically excellent service that enables new recruits and existing employees to perform their roles safely and efficiently, while ensuring compliance with all relevant regulatory obligations. Stay up to date with the latest news on WHA services, locations, achievements, as well as industry updates, resources, and more by following us on LinkedIn.