In Australia, the workplace exposure standard for welding fumes (not otherwise classified) is now 1 mg/m³ as an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA). It was 5 mg/m³, so this is an 80% reduction. WHS ministers agreed to the change in January 2024, and it took effect as each jurisdiction implemented it. From 1 December 2026, the Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) list is replaced by the Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) list.
For anyone running welding operations on construction sites, in tunnels, fabrication workshops or confined spaces, now is the time to review fume controls. Ventilation set up for the old 5 mg/m³ standard may not be enough under the current one.
Why the Limit Was Reduced
Welding fumes are a complex mixture of hazardous chemicals that form when metal is heated above its boiling point. As the vapour cools, it condenses into very fine particles that can be breathed in. The mix depends on several factors:
- the welding process
- the metals being welded
- the shielding gas or flux
- the welding rod
- any coatings on the metal
In 2017, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reclassified welding fumes from possibly carcinogenic (Group 2B) to carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). It found sufficient evidence that welding fumes cause lung cancer, and limited evidence for kidney cancer.
In January 2024, WHS ministers agreed to an immediate reduction of the exposure standard for welding fumes (not otherwise classified) from 5 mg/m³ to 1 mg/m³, to better protect workers from health effects such as lung cancer. The standard for aluminium (welding fumes) has since been cut from 5 mg/m³ to 1 mg/m³ as well. The reduced standard took effect when each state and territory implemented it. In Victoria, for example, it applied from January 2024.
What This Means on Site
Under WHS laws, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has two duties. They must eliminate or minimise the risks from welding fumes so far as is reasonably practicable. They must also make sure no one at the workplace is exposed above the exposure standard. Victoria has equivalent duties under its OHS Act and Regulations.
Staying under 1 mg/m³ is not the end of the duty. Exposure standards set a statutory upper limit, not an acceptable level of exposure.
The limits also apply to the individual components of welding fume, such as metals, not just total welding fume. You need to know what your fume contains and keep exposure below the limit for each component as well as the total. Some components have limits lower than 1 mg/m³.
That means relying on natural ventilation alone, or on respiratory protective equipment (RPE) without practicable higher order controls, is unlikely to be enough.
The hierarchy of controls still applies. WorkSafe Victoria, for example, advises this order:
- Eliminate, substitute or modify the welding process.
- Use ventilation controls such as on-torch extraction or local exhaust ventilation (LEV).
- Use respiratory protection last, if exposure is still likely to exceed the exposure standard.
LEV captures airborne contaminants at the source and carries them to a filter or a safe emission point. This matters most in enclosed or confined spaces, where fumes can build up quickly.
For sites running multiple welders at once, the challenge grows. Each additional welder adds to the total fume load in the space.
A Purpose-Built Solution for Multi-Welder Operations
Control Hire’s Multi Port Welding Fume Extractor is designed for high-demand welding operations. Rather than deploying separate extraction units for each workstation, it provides centralised fume capture and filtration from a single kit. It comes in 1, 2, 3 or 4 arm options, each arm with its own hood.
The kit includes:
- an H-510mm centrifugal fan delivering 8,500 m³/h of airflow
- a 5,000 m³/h air scrubber
- exhaust ducting and fume exhaust hoses
- welding fume hoods
Filtration is three-stage, using HEPA and carbon filters
Specifications and options:
| Item | Specification |
| Motor | 7.5 kW |
| Power supply | 415 V, 32 A, 4-pin. Plan site power or generators to suit. |
| Noise level | 71 dB(A) at 1 m with silencer, 88 dB(A) at 1 m without |
| Options | Silencers, a speed controller and Zone 1/2/21/22 configurations |
Whether a setup keeps exposure below the relevant limit depends on hood placement, airflow and the work itself. Confirm performance with air monitoring.
Where It Works Best
Key applications include:
- tunnel, rail and shaft welding operations
- confined space fabrication
- structural steel welding on large civil and infrastructure projects
- workshops and warehouses
- production and assembly lines
In tunnels and underground work, fume management is especially important. There is often little natural airflow to dilute contaminants, and workers may spend long shifts close to the weld plume. A centralised system with a dedicated hood at each workstation is designed to capture fumes at the source, before they reach the breathing zone.
Do You Need Air Monitoring?
If you’re uncertain whether anyone could be exposed above the relevant exposure standard, the model WHS laws require you to conduct air monitoring. This applies to total welding fumes and to individual chemicals. Determining compliance means measuring exposure in the worker’s breathing zone. Air monitoring is also how you confirm your LEV is working, and a competent person, such as an occupational hygienist, should carry it out.
- Identify what’s in your fume. Use safety data sheets for your welding consumables, or air monitoring data.
- Use RPE alongside LEV. WorkSafe Queensland advises using fit-tested RPE, worn correctly, together with LEV, unless air monitoring shows exposure is well below the relevant standard.
- Check health monitoring requirements. Health monitoring may be required for workers exposed to certain substances. The requirements depend on your state or territory’s WHS laws.
- Talk to your team. Discuss the reduced standard and any control changes with workers and health and safety representatives (HSRs).
Keeping Your LEV System Effective
LEV only protects workers if it is installed correctly and maintained. WorkSafe Queensland says scheduled maintenance and pre-start inspections should cover:
- moving parts, such as fan bearings and belt drives
- non-moving parts that can wear or get damaged, such as ducts and hoods
- routine replacement of filters and collection bags
- cleanliness of ductwork and other components
- flow rates and capture velocities
What Changes on 1 December 2026?
On 1 December 2026, the WES list is replaced by the WEL list. WHS ministers renamed exposure standards as exposure limits for two reasons: to make clear they are limits that should not be exceeded, and to align with terms used internationally. The rename itself doesn’t change PCBU obligations under the model WHS Regulations. The WEL list applies following implementation into Commonwealth, state and territory WHS laws.
As at 15 October 2026, these are the main changes in the WEL list, which follows a national review of the exposure standards:
- Revised limits: Some limits go up or down, and some contaminants are added or removed. Check Safe Work Australia’s WES to WEL comparison for every contaminant in your welding fume.
- Non-threshold genotoxic carcinogens (NTGCs): 33 NTGCs, including chromium VI compounds, will no longer have exposure limits. Where they are present, PCBUs must eliminate them, replace them with a safer alternative where possible, or reduce the risk so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Advisory notations: These change, including a new ototoxicity (OTO) notation for contaminants that can add to hearing loss.
Limits are based on an eight-hour working day and a five-day working week. They are not a dividing line between a healthy and an unhealthy work environment. Because of natural human biological variations and individual susceptibilities, some people may experience adverse health effects below them. Keep exposure as low as is reasonably practicable.
Victoria adopts exposure standards through its own OHS Regulations. It has proposed regulations to adopt the WEL list from 1 December 2026, so check WorkSafe Victoria for the current position.
Engineering control upgrades take time. Design, procurement, installation and commissioning of ventilation and extraction systems can take weeks or months, so start your review now.
Hire Instead of Buy
Not every project needs a permanent extraction system. Hiring can make more sense for:
- construction sites
- shutdown work
- short-term fabrication jobs
- projects with changing layouts
You avoid the capital outlay and can scale the number of arms up or down as the job requires.
Control Hire supplies the Multi Port Welding Fume Extractor for hire from branches in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Our team can help spec the right configuration, and our engineering team can provide temporary ventilation design. You can send through site details using our Fume Exhaust design request form. For single welders, see the portable and mobile units in our fume control range.
Get Ahead of the Change
If your site involves welding in any form, now is the time to review your fume controls against the current 1 mg/m³ standard and the WEL list that applies from 1 December 2026.
TTalk to our team about hiring a Multi Port Welding Fume Extractor for your next project, or request a quote.
FAQs
Is the welding fume limit changing on 1 December 2026?
The reduction to 1 mg/m³ was agreed in January 2024 and is already in place wherever it has been implemented. On 1 December 2026, the WES list becomes the WEL list. Check Safe Work Australia’s comparison for the values that apply to welding fumes and their components from that date.
Is staying under 1 mg/m³ enough?
No. You must also keep exposure to each component below its own limit, and minimise exposure so far as is reasonably practicable. The exposure limit is an upper limit, not a safe level.
Who should measure welding fume exposure?
A competent person, such as an occupational hygienist. They measure exposure in the worker’s breathing zone and can check whether your LEV is working.