The rules on workplace air quality are changing on the 1st December 2026.
Australia is moving from Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) to Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL). This is not just a subtle word change, it has significant implications for worksites and employers.
Workplace Exposure Standards
Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) provide guidance values for airborne contaminants which are often treated as targets in risk assessments.
Workplace Exposure Limits
Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) are legally enforceable maximum limits that you must stay under the limit at all times or face potential legal and regulatory action.
This will impact a wide range of industries and will provide:
- Lower limits for harmful dusts like respirable crystalline silica, welding fumes, and diesel particulates mean additional controls may be required.
- Continuous compliance requirement – limits are not just about Time Weighted Average (TWA) exposure anymore, peak levels will count.
- Higher accountability – exceeding the limit will put employers in breach of WHS laws resulting in fines and enforceable action.
If you have processes that generate dust in your workplace or worksite, you will likely be needing to be employ measures from each of the hierarchy of controls, including effective engineered dust controls.
Grydale mobile dust collectors are one of the most effective ways to reduce airborne contaminants at the source and meet these new legal requirements.
Contact Us
Contact us at enquiries@grydale.com.au to find out about what the new regulations mean for you, so that you can ensure your workplace is compliant in time for the new regulations and avoid costly penalties or downtime.