How Australia’s tougher limits on airborne hazards impact mining

Australia’s approach to airborne hazards in mining has evolved significantly, with new standards and technologies driving safer workplaces and healthier outcomes.

It was 30 years ago that Australia took a vital first step in improving air quality by adopting workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants.

That move in 1995 marked the beginning of a journey to protect workers from harmful substances in the air – dust, gases, fumes and vapours that can go unnoticed but cause serious health problems.

Understanding of these hazards has grown over the ensuing three decades; regulations have tightened and technology has advanced in leaps and bounds.

But airborne contaminants remain one of the most complex health and safety risks in mining. They do not need to be seen or smelled to reach harmful levels, yet their presence can lead to serious and long-term consequences, including occupational lung diseases, respiratory illnesses and cancers.

Mine sites, among other workplaces, have long relied on standards to guide safe exposure levels. These workplace exposure standards (WES) define the maximum airborne concentration of substances to which most workers can be exposed without adverse health effects. But science does not stand still, and neither does regulation.

New research has emerged since the last major review of the WES in 2003, prompting a nationwide re-evaluation of exposure limits and safety practices. A full review of the WES list was undertaken from 2018, with the goal of ensuring the standards reflect the latest health evidence and offer the highest level of protection for workers. A significant shift is now underway.

From December 1, 2026, workplace exposure standards will become workplace exposure limits (WEL), reflecting a stronger, clearer mandate: these are not recommendations, but legal thresholds that must not be exceeded.

The name change brings Australia in line with international practice, and reinforces the legal duty of persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) to prevent exposure wherever possible. If a contaminant cannot be eliminated, its risk must be reduced so far as is reasonably practicable.

Support compliance and raising awareness

To help employers and workers prepare, Safe Work Australia has developed an airborne contaminants hub – a comprehensive, easy-to-use online resource designed to support compliance and raise awareness across industries. The hub includes downloadable fact sheets, infographics and a comparison table that outlines how current exposure standards will change under the new WEL framework.

It also offers practical advice on how to assess and manage exposure using the hierarchy of control measures.

With more than 600 substances and mixtures listed, the scale of the challenge is real. But so too is the opportunity.

The hub empowers employers to not only meet regulatory requirements but to lead with confidence, making airborne contaminant management a central pillar of health and safety strategy.

Few understand the evolution of air quality management in mining better than University of Queensland professor David Cliff. With extensive experience at the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre and as a safety and health adviser for the Queensland Mining Council, he brings a wealth of industry knowledge and hands-on expertise.

Some of the most significant improvements in recent years, Cliff told Safe to Work, have been the lowering of exposure limits for respirable coal dust and silica, setting new benchmarks that the industry must meet to safeguard worker health. He said the industry’s understanding of dust-related illnesses has broadened considerably.

“[There is] recognition that dust disease goes beyond coal workers pneumoconiosis,” Cliff said.

This shift reflects a more comprehensive approach to worker wellbeing, backed by quality control monitoring of medical assessments and equipment.

Technology is playing a vital role in these advances.

Real-time dust monitoring systems have become essential tools for identifying dust sources and measuring the effectiveness of control measures. The systems can predict if a worker’s exposure is nearing unsafe levels, triggering timely alerts to prevent overexposure.

These innovations are among the many adopted by leading companies.

“Glencore has started using fixed location real-time sensors as part of their global mine environment monitoring systems, Anglo American has invested heavily in real-time personal monitors, and BMA has sophisticated real-time environmental dust monitoring networks around their open-cut mines,” Cliff said.

“Having airborne contaminant hazard management plans in place also means that the maintenance of dust suppression and exclusion techniques is treated on a systematic and regular basis.”

Looking ahead, Cliff sees promise in developments that prevent dust generation at the source.

“I think the big gains will come from modifying mining methods so that dust is not generated,” he said. “Controls need to be targeted at the type of dust of concern.”

With this approach, the industry can move beyond simply managing risks to preventing harm. It’s a shift that promises safer air, healthier workers and a more sustainable future for mining.