Nine exposure levels will not change on 1 December 2026
On 24 June 2026, Safe Work Australia published the outcome of the Decision Regulation Impact Statement for nine chemicals. A majority of WHS ministers did not support the proposed new exposure levels, so these nine exposure levels remain the same as their current WES levels when Australia transitions to the WEL list.
The nine chemicals
Benzene · Chlorine · Copper (fumes, dusts and mists) · Formaldehyde · Hydrogen cyanide · Hydrogen sulphide · Nitrogen dioxide · Respirable crystalline silica · Titanium dioxide
Why this matters as a reference
Earlier consultation and proposal material discussed possible new exposure levels for these substances. The June 2026 decision supersedes that proposal outcome for the 1 December 2026 transition: Safe Work Australia states there will be no changes to the exposure limits for these nine chemicals at that date.
Reference only
This page reports the published transition decision. It does not assess exposure, safety, workplace controls or compliance. Check the current authoritative WES/WEL material and the regulator for your jurisdiction before making workplace decisions.
Safe Work Australia — Decision RIS: proposed workplace exposure limits for 9 chemicals ↗