New national WEL entry for diesel particulate matter
Australia's future workplace exposure limit list adds diesel particulate matter at 0.01 mg/m³ measured as respirable elemental carbon. Application is scheduled from December 1, 2026 in adopting regimes and depends on the relevant jurisdiction and sector law.
The national entry must not be applied automatically to Queensland mines or other specialist mining regimes. The sampling fraction and elemental-carbon basis matter.
- Legal status
- future national limit local adoption required
- Source check
- Sep 17, 2026
- Topic
- Diesel particulate matter
- Technical review
- Jiaxi · 2026-09-23
What changed
Previous requirement
No equivalent DPM entry in the national WES list; some mining regimes already have separate requirements.
New requirement or current position
National-list DPM WEL takes effect with the December 2026 transition in adopting regimes.
Who it affects
- Transport
- Warehousing
- Construction
- Mining subject to local law
Dates and milestones
Commencement and compliance dates can differ. Read the conditions beside each date, including any stay or local adoption requirement.
- Announcement or publication
- Not established or not applicable
- Recorded effective date
- Dec 1, 2026
Adopting WHS/OHS regimes
Check the governing mining law separately.
Selected exposure values
These values need the scope, limit type and averaging period shown below. A proposed or advisory value is not a binding limit.
Diesel particulate matter as respirable elemental carbon
0.01 mg/m3| Averaging period | 8-hour TWA |
|---|---|
| Limit type | WEL |
| Scope | Future national WEL list; local adoption and sector exceptions apply |
What this could mean for your IH program
Plan elemental-carbon sampling and diesel controls. A general dust reading is not an elemental-carbon result.
Confirm applicability with a qualified practitioner before changing your program.
Questions and qualifications
- Do not assume automatic application to Queensland mines or other specialist mining regimes. Sampling fraction and analytical basis matter.
Source evidence
- Workplace exposure limits for airborne contaminants, November 2025
Safe Work Australia · pp. 21, 40-41; Appendix C
DPM is listed at 0.01 mg/m3 TWA as respirable elemental carbon. Crystalline silica entries retain 0.05 mg/m3.
- Changes to Workplace Exposure Limits
Safe Work Australia · pp. 3-5; document internally dated 29 May 2025
Comparison publication lists 31 additions, including DPM at 0.01 mg/m3 TWA, and instructs continuing WES compliance through November 2026.
Managing your IH program
Explore how LEAP IH supports industrial hygiene data management and risk assessment.
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