Under the WES review, health-based recommendations for WES were made by experts (using the methodology below) and released for public feedback. Public feedback on the health-based recommendations closed in 2021. Safe Work Australia received more than 1,100 submissions to the review.

All recommendations for changes to the WES list resulting from this review were considered by Safe Work Australia Members, along with the feedback provided by stakeholders. Safe Work Australia Members made recommendations to Work Health and Safety (WHS) Ministers as the relevant decision makers. In 2024, WHS Ministers agreed to the changes in the WES list to form the WEL list, and a harmonised transition across Australia for the adoption of the WEL list. 

The WEL will only become mandatory once implemented in the WHS laws of the Commonwealth, states and territories. WHS ministers also agreed to a harmonised transitional period for duty holders to comply with the WEL list, with an implementation date of 1 December 2026.

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WES review methodology

A detailed WES review methodology was developed and agreed to by WHS Ministers before the WES review started. This methodology guided the whole review process, including:

• which scientific sources to use
• which chemicals should be added or removed from the WES list, and
• which notations should be considered. 

The following documents describe the methodology for reviewing the workplace exposure standards:

• WES review - Recommending health-based workplace exposure standards and notations
• WES review - Criteria for the selection of sources for workplace exposure standards, notations and supporting data
• WES review - Criteria for the selection of hazardous chemicals to be considered for addition to or removal from the Workplace Exposure Standards list
• WES review - Selection of sources for exposure standards, notations and supporting data
• WES review - Selection of hazardous chemicals to be considered for addition to or removal from the Workplace Exposure Standards list
• WES review - Non-threshold based genotoxic carcinogens
• WES review – New advisory notation proposal Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health
• WES review - Criteria for a skin notation

Supporting information

• Airborne contaminant exposure standards 
• Workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants
• Consultation regulation impact statement: Workplace exposure standards
• Decision regulation impact statement: Workplace exposure standards framework under the model Work Health and Safety laws
• Workplace exposure standards review – evaluation reports and public comments 
• Reviewing the Australian Workplace Exposure Standards webinar by the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH)