Australian workers are being protected against the harmful effects of silica dust by reducing the workplace exposure standard (WES) for respirable crystalline silica from 1 July this year.

Under the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth), the exposure standard will be halved from an eight-hour time-weighted average of 0.1 mg/m3 to 0.05 mg/m3. The new standard was agreed by state and territory work health and safety (WHS) ministers following an extensive review of safe exposure levels conducted by Safe Work Australia.