What’s changing with the phosphine exposure limit
The phosphine exposure limit in Australian workplaces is about to get much tighter. Safe Work Australia’s current Workplace Exposure Standard (WES) for phosphine is being replaced by a lower Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) under work health and safety (WHS) laws. The eight-hour limit drops from 0.3 parts per million (ppm) to 0.05 ppm. From 1 December 2026, persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs), usually employers, must comply with the reduced WEL by taking appropriate measures to protect workers from phosphine exposure.
Key points
- There are currently 33 APVMA-approved products containing phosphine, including aluminium or magnesium phosphide. Their labels refer to 0.3 ppm under the heading ‘Ventilation period – on completion of the exposure period’.
- That 0.3 ppm figure is used to clear grain after fumigation. It serves a different purpose from the WEL, which applies to concentrations in a worker’s breathing zone.
- Some states have said they will delay the phosphine WEL beyond December 2026. Check your state WHS regulator’s website for details.
- The APVMA and Safe Work Australia don’t currently believe the labels need changing for users to meet their WHS obligations.
- The APVMA isn’t proposing any label changes for now, but will consider regulatory action if new information shows changes are needed.
Context
The two regulators worked together to assess whether labels on APVMA-approved phosphine products needed updating ahead of the lower phosphine exposure limit. For now, neither thinks they do.
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General information only, not legal advice. Check the official source before acting.
Source: Safe Work Australia. Licence: CC BY 4.0.
