2026 Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) – Canberra Industry Compliance Guide
On 1 December 2026, Australia’s Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) are replaced by Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL). This change resets airborne contaminant limits for welding fume, cement dust, wood dust, grain dust, diesel particulate and dozens of other hazards affecting fabrication, construction, timber, food, transport and warehousing operations across Canberra and the ACT.
“On 1 December 2026, Australia’s workplace exposure standards (WES) are replaced by workplace exposure limits (WEL). It is the biggest reset of airborne contaminant limits in a generation.”
What changes on 1 December 2026
Safe Work Australia has reviewed every airborne contaminant limit and published a new WEL list. The changes include decreased limit values, new limit types, split inhalable and respirable fractions, and 31 new substances added to the list. Thirty‑three carcinogens have had their numeric limits removed entirely.
Limit types
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- 8‑hour TWA: maximum average airborne concentration over an 8‑hour day
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- STEL: maximum 15‑minute time‑weighted average
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- Peak limit: ceiling that must never be exceeded
These are limits, not targets. For 33 carcinogens, no safe level is recognised.
The five WEL changes most relevant to Canberra industry
Manganese in welding fume
Old limit: 1 mg/m³ New limits: 0.1 mg/m³ inhalable / 0.02 mg/m³ respirable This affects fabrication, boilermaking, structural steel and maintenance workshops across Fyshwick, Mitchell and Hume.
Chromium VI
Old limit: 0.05 mg/m³ New status: NTGC – no numeric limit Stainless welding, electroplating and spray coating operations must eliminate, substitute or minimise exposure using engineering controls.
Diesel particulate matter (DPM)
Old limit: none New limit: 0.01 mg/m³ Indoor forklift routes, truck bays, loading docks and diesel plant areas in ACT warehouses now fall under a formal respirable elemental carbon limit.
Portland cement (respirable dust)
Old limit: 10 mg/m³ New limit: 1 mg/m³ Concrete batching, precast and masonry operations require upgraded dust extraction and filtration.
Wood, grain and flour dust
Soft wood dust: 5 → 2 mg/m³ Grain dust: 4 → 1.5 mg/m³ Flour dust: new 0.5 mg/m³ Joinery shops, timber mills, bakeries and feed mills must improve capture‑at‑source and filtration.
Why passing today doesn’t mean passing in 2027
“The part that catches people out: your site doesn’t have to change a thing to go from compliant to non‑compliant. The number moves. You don’t.”
A 2025 ACT fabrication shop may show respirable manganese at 0.04 mg/m³. Under the old limit, this was 4% of the standard. Under the new 0.02 mg/m³ respirable WEL, the same result is double the limit.
Key considerations:
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- Ventilation may have been sized against old limits
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- Monitoring may not include respirable fractions
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- RPE alone is no longer considered a sufficient control
33 carcinogens with no numeric limit
Safe Work Australia has identified 33 airborne contaminants as non‑threshold genotoxic carcinogens (NTGCs). These include chromium VI compounds, coal tar pitch volatiles, PAH mixtures containing benzo[a]pyrene, vinyl chloride, ethylene oxide and hydrazine.
Where NTGCs are present, PCBUs must eliminate, substitute or reduce exposure so far as reasonably practicable. The regulatory question becomes: “What did you do to drive exposure as low as you reasonably could?”
31 new substances with WEL values
New entries include diesel particulate matter (0.01 mg/m³), flour dust (0.5 mg/m³), PVC respirable dust (1 mg/m³), diacetyl (TWA 0.04 mg/m³, STEL 0.07 mg/m³) and peracetic acid (0.4 ppm). These changes affect food processing, plastics fabrication, transport, warehousing and milling operations across Canberra.
Industry‑specific impact in Canberra and the ACT
Fabrication, boilermaking and structural steel
Manganese, chromium VI, nickel, cobalt and isocyanates require upgraded LEV, source capture and general shed ventilation.
Concrete, precast, construction and masonry
Respirable cement dust, lime dust and diesel particulate require dust extraction, filtration and tunnel ventilation.
Timber, joinery, bakeries, feed mills and silos
Wood dust, grain dust, flour dust and PVC dust require capture‑at‑source, filtration upgrades and improved housekeeping.
Transport, warehousing, logistics and hire
Diesel particulate and carbon monoxide require high‑volume extraction, purge ventilation and verified make‑up air paths.
Food and beverage processing
Diacetyl, flour dust, peracetic acid and sulfur dioxide require extraction over dosing, sanitising and milling operations, plus filtered supply air.
Mining, metals, smelters and refineries
Arsenic, cadmium, beryllium, manganese and nickel require re‑sized extraction systems and purge ventilation for confined spaces.
The hierarchy of controls
Eliminate
Remove the hazardous process or substance.
Substitute
Use lower‑fume consumables, water‑based coatings or electric plant.
Engineering controls
Source‑capture fume extraction, dust extraction and filtration, roof and wall exhaust, purge and dilution ventilation.
Administrative controls
Rotation, exclusion zones and procedures.
PPE / RPE
Respirators and masks—the last line of defence.
Engineering controls provide the strongest evidence of compliance, especially for NTGCs such as chromium VI.
Canberra WEL readiness plan
Step 1
Identify all substances present in welding, cutting, batching, milling, baking, spraying and diesel plant operations.
Step 2
Re‑baseline air monitoring using WEL values and respirable fractions.
Step 3
Apply the hierarchy of controls and scope engineering controls.
Step 4
Design and budget ventilation and extraction systems sized against new limits.
Step 5
Install controls and verify performance before 1 December 2026.
Step 6
Update SWMS, train workers and maintain extraction and filtration systems.
Actions recommended
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- Book a WEL 2026 compliance review for Canberra and ACT sites
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- Request WEL‑aligned air monitoring for welding fume, respirable dust and diesel particulate
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- Scope ventilation, extraction and filtration upgrades – M&G can arrange a site visit for evaluation
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- Download the full WEL 2026 industry guide (PDF)
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2026 Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) — FAQ
What changes on 1 December 2026?
Australia replaces Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) with Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL). Limits tighten significantly, many by factors of 5–10×, and 33 carcinogens shift to NTGC (no safe level). ACT workplaces must comply immediately with no transition period.
Which industries in Canberra are most affected?
Fabrication, welding, metalwork, concrete plants, timber mills, food production, transport depots, warehousing, and workshops in Fyshwick, Mitchell, Hume and Queanbeyan experience the largest impact due to manganese, Cr(VI), diesel particulate, cement dust and flour dust.
What are the biggest limit reductions?
Major reductions include manganese fume (1 mg/m³ → 0.1 inhalable / 0.02 respirable), Portland cement (10 mg/m³ → 1 mg/m³), diesel particulate (new 0.01 mg/m³ limit), and flour dust (new 0.5 mg/m³ limit).
What does NTGC mean?
NTGC (Not to Generate Concentration) indicates substances with no safe exposure level. Compliance requires elimination, substitution, isolation, or engineered ventilation controls rather than relying on PPE.
Do existing ventilation systems meet the new WEL limits?
Most systems installed before 2026 were designed around older, higher limits. Many ACT workshops will require upgraded extraction airflow, redesigned ducting, or additional source‑capture units to meet new WEL targets.
Is PPE alone enough to comply with WEL?
No. Regulators expect engineering controls as the primary method. PPE is considered supplementary and cannot be used as the sole compliance measure for NTGC substances or significantly reduced limits.
Does monitoring need to be repeated under WEL?
Yes. Previous monitoring was benchmarked against older limits and often measured inhalable rather than respirable fractions. ACT workplaces must re‑baseline monitoring using the new WEL values.
What engineering controls help achieve compliance?
Source‑capture extraction, high‑volume roof/wall fans, filtered supply air, HEPA negative air units, and diesel particulate control systems are the primary engineering controls for WEL compliance.
How quickly must ACT workplaces comply?
Compliance is required from 1 December 2026 with no grace period. Sites must demonstrate reasonably practicable steps, including monitoring, engineering controls, and documented risk management.
What is the recommended readiness plan for 2026–2027?
Identify affected substances, re‑baseline monitoring, design engineering controls, upgrade ventilation, verify airflow performance, update documentation, and train staff.