7 Nov 2026
New workplace exposure limits (WELs) for airborne contaminants start in Queensland on 1 December 2026, replacing the current Workplace Exposure Standards (WES). For 15 substances, including phosphine, grain dust and diesel exhaust, the Queensland Government has confirmed a transition period until 1 December 2029.
QFF has welcomed this decision to extend transition arrangements for substances critical to agriculture. The decision gives growers certainty about which limits apply during that work and time to prepare properly.
QFF’s Work Health and Safety Committee was recently briefed on the change by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ). We have prepared this article to give producers consistent, practical information ahead of the start date.
What is changing
After a national review, the WES list is being replaced by the WEL list. The new name makes clear these are limits not to be exceeded. Just over 170 substances have revised limits (some lower, some higher), more than 30 have been added and 33 removed. More than 600 substances and mixtures now have a limit.
Most WELs apply in Queensland from 1 December 2026. The following 15 substances have transition arrangements until 1 December 2029.
Common on farms: grain dust, phosphine, methyl bromide, diesel particulate matter (DPM, measured as respirable elemental carbon), flour dust and wood dust (softwood).
Other substances: bitumen fumes, hydrogen fluoride, manganese fume, dust and compounds, nickel metal, powder and nickel sulphide roasting (fume and dust), nitric oxide, perchloroethylene, Portland cement, styrene monomer and sulphur dioxide.
For most of these, the existing WES continues to apply until 1 December 2029. Two exceptions apply: flour dust has no limit until 1 December 2029, and DPM has a time-weighted average limit of 0.1 mg/m³ until then.
Full details are on WorkSafe Queensland’s Workplace Exposure Limits page.
What this means for Queensland producers
There are no new obligations. The primary duty of care under section 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 is unchanged: eliminate risks so far as is reasonably practicable, or minimise them where they cannot be eliminated. Exposure limits are a way to check that controls are working. They are not the end goal.
Airborne contaminants arise across most farm operations, including:
grain, hay and feed handling
cultivation and harvesting
soil disturbance and fertiliser use
chemical application, spraying and fumigation
livestock sheds
workshops (welding, diesel exhaust, grinding)
silos and tanks
timber processing
moulds, bacteria and other biological contaminants in sheds, silos, feed storage and animal housing
A revised limit does not automatically mean a business is non-compliant. Compliance depends on each workplace’s exposures and controls and cannot be confirmed over the phone. Health monitoring is only mandatory for certain chemicals listed in the WHS Regulation.
What producers should do now
QFF encourages producers not to wait until 1 December:
Know which limits apply to you. Identify the substances used on your property and check whether each one moves to a WEL on 1 December 2026 or falls under the 2029 transition.
Update your documentation. Revise risk assessments, procedures, training materials and records that refer to WES values.
Cover the full task. Consider who is exposed and for how long, including cleanup, re-entry times and contaminated clothing.
Apply the hierarchy of control. Prioritise elimination, substitution and engineering controls, with PPE as the last line of defence.
Simple changes help, such as cleaning with a vacuum or wet methods instead of compressed air. Invest in controls first, then use occupational hygiene monitoring to check they work. Businesses that have grown or changed their processes should reassess risks using WorkSafe Queensland’s managing risks guidance.
Free support through IPaM
The Injury Prevention and Management (IPaM) program is a free, non-regulatory advisory service delivered by WHSQ and WorkCover Queensland. IPaM advisors are not inspectors. Over six to twelve months, they work with businesses to review safety systems, identify hazards and develop a tailored improvement plan.
Any Queensland employer with a WorkCover policy can use IPaM, and it is a practical way to prepare for the WEL transition. QFF supports a culture of improvement over penalties and encourages members to take it up. Visit the WorkSafe Queensland IPaM page or call 1300 362 128.
Further information
WorkSafe Queensland: Workplace Exposure Limits, covering Queensland arrangements and transition dates
Safe Work Australia’s airborne contaminants hub and WES/WEL transition stakeholder kit, with guidance and comparison tables
WHSQ’s eSAFE newsletter, for ongoing updates
WHSQ also offers free online tools for other farm hazards: a noise exposure calculator, a heat stress calculator and a return on investment calculator for safety improvements. Guidance on noise and heat stress is also available.
QFF remains committed to working with WHSQ and the Office of Industrial Relations to support a smooth transition and safer Queensland farms.