Welding Fume Exposure Limits in Australia: What Workshops Need to Know for 2026
Updated: 25 September 2026
Australia's requirements around welding-fume exposure have changed significantly since the workplace exposure standard for total welding fumes was reduced in 2024.
For fabrication shops, engineering workshops, aluminium manufacturers and other businesses carrying out welding, the key number is now 1 mg/m³ for welding fumes not otherwise classified, measured as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). Aluminium welding fumes are also listed at 1 mg/m³.
Quick answer
Until 30 November 2026: Australian workplaces continue to operate under the Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants, subject to the WHS or OHS laws applying in their jurisdiction.
From 1 December 2026: Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) replace the WES framework. The current WEL list retains the 1 mg/m³ 8-hour TWA limit for welding fumes not otherwise classified.
Important safety point: 1 mg/m³ is a maximum limit, not a target
Safe Work Australia states that an exposure standard should not be treated as an acceptable level of exposure. Businesses still need to eliminate or minimise welding-fume risks so far as is reasonably practicable, rather than simply aiming to remain just below the exposure limit.
What has changed since the original 2024 welding-fume update?
The original change in January 2024 reduced the workplace exposure standard for welding fumes not otherwise classified from 5 mg/m³ to 1 mg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA.
Since then, aluminium welding fumes have also been brought down to the same 1 mg/m³ level, and Australia is preparing for the broader transition from WES to WEL.
| Date |
Change |
What it means |
| 18 January 2024 |
Total welding fumes NOC reduced from 5 to 1 mg/m³ |
Workshop controls may need to be reviewed against the substantially lower exposure standard. |
| 17 November 2025 |
Aluminium welding fumes reduced from 5 to 1 mg/m³ in the national WES list |
Particularly relevant to aluminium fabrication, marine, window and door manufacturing and similar operations. Check implementation with your jurisdiction's regulator. |
| 1 December 2026 |
Australia transitions from WES to Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) |
Businesses should identify the airborne contaminants they use or generate and check the applicable WEL values and notations. |
Safe Work Australia develops the national model framework, while WHS and OHS requirements are regulated and enforced by the Commonwealth, state and territory regulators. Always check the requirements applying in your jurisdiction.
What does 1 mg/m³ over an 8-hour TWA actually mean?
The welding-fume exposure limit represents the concentration of total welding fumes in a worker's breathing zone, averaged over an eight-hour working day based on a five-day working week.
It does not mean that every weld produces the same exposure. Actual exposure can change considerably according to the welding process, parent metal, consumable, current and settings, coatings or contaminants on the workpiece, how long the task continues, the worker's position and the effectiveness of ventilation or extraction.
Welding fumes can also be extremely fine and may not be visible. A workshop should therefore not use visible smoke alone as an indication of whether exposure is adequately controlled.
The total welding-fume limit is only part of the picture
Welding fumes are a complex mixture rather than a single contaminant. Their composition depends on the welding process, metals being joined, welding consumables, shielding gases or fluxes and any paints, coatings, oils or other contamination on the workpiece.
Individual components of welding fumes, as well as gases and vapours produced during welding, may have their own workplace exposure standards or limits. Safe Work Australia therefore requires PCBUs to consider both the total welding-fume concentration and relevant individual contaminants.
What welding workshops should review
Welding-fume control should follow the hierarchy of controls. PPE and respiratory protective equipment can be important, but they should not automatically be treated as the first or only solution.
| Control level |
Practical welding examples |
| Eliminate |
Avoid welding where a different fabrication or joining method can reasonably remove the hazard. |
| Substitute |
Consider welding processes, consumables or materials that generate less hazardous fume where suitable for the job. |
| Isolate |
Separate welding operations from other workers using dedicated areas, booths or process enclosures where appropriate. |
| Engineering controls |
Use controls such as local exhaust ventilation, portable extraction hoods, down-draft systems or on-torch extraction to capture contaminants close to the source. |
| Administrative controls |
Training, work procedures, equipment inspection and maintenance, restricted access and appropriate positioning of the welder relative to the plume. |
| PPE and RPE |
Use appropriately selected respiratory, eye, face, hand and body protection as part of the overall control system where required. |
Capture fumes close to the source
Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) is designed to remove fumes before they disperse through the general workshop air. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland notes that simply opening doors or using general fans does not control welding fumes as reliably as properly positioned local exhaust ventilation.
The performance of any extraction system depends on correct selection, placement, airflow and maintenance. An extraction hood positioned too far from the arc, obstructed ducting or poorly maintained filters can significantly reduce performance.
A standard welding helmet does not control welding fumes
A conventional welding helmet is essential for protection against welding radiation, sparks and related eye and face hazards, but it should not be treated as respiratory protection.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland specifically warns that a welding helmet alone is not effective protection from fumes, gases and vapours. Where respiratory protection is required, it needs to be appropriately selected as part of the workplace's overall control strategy.
Respiratory protection still needs proper selection
Respiratory protective equipment should be selected for the contaminants, concentration, work environment and task involved. A particulate filter designed for welding fume does not automatically protect against every gas or vapour that may also be generated during welding.
Tight-fitting respirators also depend on a suitable seal to the wearer's face and require fit testing. Fit checking when the respirator is put on does not replace formal fit testing.
For more information, see AusTech's guide to selecting respiratory protection .
When might air monitoring be required?
Safe Work Australia states that if a PCBU is uncertain whether people at the workplace may be exposed to an airborne contaminant from welding above the relevant exposure standard, air monitoring must be conducted.
An occupational hygienist can assist with assessing exposure in the worker's breathing zone and determining whether existing controls are effective. This can be particularly important where processes, materials, welding duration or workshop conditions vary significantly.
Preparing for the 1 December 2026 WEL transition
The change from WES to WEL is more than a terminology update across Australia's airborne-contaminant framework. Some individual contaminants have changed limits, classifications or advisory notations.
Welding businesses should use the transition as an opportunity to:
- identify the fumes, gases and other airborne contaminants generated by their welding processes
- review the current WES and incoming WEL values that apply to those contaminants
- check whether existing extraction, isolation and work practices remain appropriate
- review respiratory-protection selection, fit testing, maintenance and worker training where RPE is required
- consider air monitoring or occupational-hygiene advice where exposure is uncertain
- check current requirements and implementation information with the WHS or OHS regulator for their jurisdiction.
For Queensland workshops
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland states that the reduced 1 mg/m³ workplace exposure standard for aluminium welding fumes is now in effect in Queensland. Businesses carrying out aluminium fabrication should include this in their current review of welding-fume controls.
Where AusTech can help
AusTech can assist welding and fabrication businesses with the equipment side of their workshop review, including welding safety equipment, respiratory protection, PAPR systems, welding consumables and workshop fume-extraction equipment.
Equipment selection should always be based on the hazards, process and control requirements identified for your workplace. AusTech does not provide WHS compliance or occupational-hygiene advice, and equipment supply by itself does not demonstrate compliance with an exposure limit.
Authoritative resources
Safe Work Australia: Welding fumes
Safe Work Australia: Workplace Exposure Limits
Safe Work Australia: Aluminium welding fumes information sheet
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland: Welding
Reviewing your welding safety equipment?
Explore AusTech's welding safety range or speak with our team about welding equipment, respiratory protection, PAPR and fume-extraction options for your workshop.
General information only: This article is intended to provide general information about welding-fume exposure and available control measures. It is not WHS, occupational-hygiene or legal advice. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and workplace circumstances. Consult your WHS/OHS regulator, a competent safety professional or an occupational hygienist where appropriate.