Australia’s new air-monitoring guides pair employer and technical decisions

October 7, 2026

Safe Work Australia published paired air-monitoring guides on July 24, 2026 for the forthcoming workplace exposure limit transition. The PCBU guide addresses employer responsibilities, while the technical guide addresses occupational hygienists conducting and interpreting monitoring.

Both are scheduled to replace the earlier WES interpretation guidance from December 1, 2026. Their publication and future replacement date are separate milestones, recorded in the air-monitoring guidance record.

Connect a sampling decision with its technical basis

The technical guide describes an assessment process intended to support consistency in monitoring, interpretation and advice. The employer guide provides the companion route for understanding when monitoring is needed and acting on findings. Their guidance role remains separate from the law that applies at a workplace.

APT’s practical interpretation is to review the handoff between the person commissioning monitoring and the person carrying it out. The assessment should preserve the contaminant, exposure basis and purpose of the sampling so the final advice answers the workplace decision.

A complete method comparison with the earlier guidance remains outside this review. Any existing software calculation needs its own technical assessment against the new approach. Local WHS/OHS and mining requirements need their own checks before a method or compliance procedure is changed.

For related developments, consult the industrial hygiene regulatory tracker.