Industry groups warn new dust and chemical limits are unmeasurable and could hinder operations

Safe Work Australia released revised workplace exposure limits that will take effect on December 1, tightening standards for hundreds of airborne contaminants. Grain growers in Western Australia, represented by the West Australian Grain Group, say the reduced phosphine limit and the more than 50% cut to grain dust thresholds are impossible to measure with existing equipment, threatening harvest and export processes. Mining groups, led by the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies, claim the blanket approach ignores the technical challenges of specific ore bodies and may be unachievable.

Industry bodies have approached state officials, including Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis, to seek a three-year delay for further research. WorkSafe Victoria has already delayed compliance for 15 substances until December 2029, and Safe Work Australia says compliance will rely on personal air monitoring rather than fixed-site measurements.