New Workplace Exposure Limits:
Is Your Fleet Ready?
From 1 December 2026, Australia's workplace exposure limits are changing. The most significant shift for mobile plant operators is a new hard national limit on diesel particulate matter — the first time DPM has had a defined exposure standard in Australia.
If your fleet runs diesel plant, these limits apply to your operators. The question isn't whether the changes affect you. It's whether your cabins can meet the standard.
This page explains what changes, which machines are exposed, what a compliant cabin looks like, and what Setpoint can do to get you there. For the official standard, see the Safe Work Australia WES/WEL page.
What Takes Effect
1 December 2026
The current system uses Workplace Exposure Standards (WES). From 1 December 2026 these become Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) — legally enforceable under model WHS legislation. The terminology changes, and for diesel particulate matter, so does the number.
DPM gets its first national limit. Until now there has been no defined national standard for diesel particulate matter. That changes on 1 December 2026 with a hard limit of 0.01 mg/m³ measured as respirable elemental carbon. This is a significant tightening for any operation running diesel plant in enclosed or semi-enclosed environments.
Diesel Particulate Matter
Measured as respirable elemental carbon (REC). Applies from 1 December 2026. No prior national standard existed.
Respirable Crystalline Silica
The RCS limit remains at 0.05 mg/m³. Still one of the most significant hazards for mobile plant operators in mining, quarrying, and construction.
Legally Enforceable
The shift from WES to WEL means these are no longer guidance figures. They are enforceable limits under model WHS legislation.
PCBU obligations under the WHS Act require you to eliminate or minimise worker exposure to airborne contaminants so far as reasonably practicable. Engineering controls — including HEPA cabin pressurisation — sit at the top of the hierarchy of controls.
Which Machines
Are Exposed?
The DPM limit applies wherever diesel exhaust can accumulate around operators. Underground operations face the highest concentrations — but surface fleet is not exempt, particularly in areas with limited airflow, high machine density, or long idle times.
- Underground loaders, trucks, and drill rigs — any diesel plant operating below surface
- Surface excavators and haul trucks working in confined cut areas or low-wind conditions
- Fleet operating near diesel generators, crushers, or other stationary exhaust sources
- Workshop personnel working in proximity to running diesel engines
- Any operator in a cabin without positive-pressure HEPA filtration in a dusty or diesel-exposed environment
South Australian operations in mining, quarrying, civil construction, and waste management are all within scope. If your machines run diesel and your operators spend significant time in the cabin, you need to understand your exposure picture before December.
The standard OEM cabin ventilation system will not meet the DPM limit in most high-exposure environments. It recirculates air or draws in ambient air without adequate filtration. A HEPA pressurisation system is the engineering control that gets you there.
What a Compliant
Cabin Looks Like
A compliant cabin under the new WEL framework isn't just a filtered cabin. It's a pressurised, monitored, pressure-tested system that demonstrably keeps contaminant concentrations below the exposure limits. ISO 23875 is the reference standard for operator cabin air quality in mining and heavy industry — and it's the benchmark most site compliance requirements will point to.
HEPA H14 Filtration
99.995% efficiency at 0.3 microns. Captures diesel particulate and respirable silica before air enters the cabin.
Positive Pressure
20–200 Pa above ambient. Prevents contaminated air entering through door seals, wiring penetrations, and HVAC gaps.
Real-Time Monitoring
Live cabin pressure and CO₂ display. Audible and visual alarms when readings fall outside safe parameters.
Pressure-Tested & Documented
System pressure-tested and service records maintained. Documentation available for compliance audits and site entry requirements.
ISO 23875 — the international standard for operator cabin air quality in mining. Sets minimum requirements for filtration efficiency, cabin pressure, CO₂ monitoring, decay time, and maintenance records. An increasing number of Australian mine sites require ISO 23875 compliance as a condition of entry. BreatheSafe systems installed by Setpoint are engineered to exceed this standard.
What Setpoint
Does For Your Fleet
Setpoint is Adelaide's sole authorised BreatheSafe installer. We supply, install, pressure-test, and service HEPA cabin pressurisation systems on-site across South Australia — with all parts and filters stocked locally in Adelaide for fast turnaround.
We work directly with fleet managers and site safety teams to assess the fleet, plan the install schedule, and get documentation in order before the December deadline.
- On-site fleet assessmentWe come to your site and assess which machines need attention. No workshop transport required.
- BreatheSafe HEPA installationISO 23875-compliant pressurisation systems installed on-site, across all major makes of heavy plant.
- Pressure testing and commissioningEvery install is pressure-tested and commissioned before handover. Documentation provided for your compliance records.
- Ongoing servicing and filter supplyScheduled maintenance programs with all filters and parts stocked locally in Adelaide. No waiting on interstate freight.
- Existing system assessmentAlready have pressurisation systems fitted? We assess, service, and recertify existing installs to confirm they still meet the standard.
December 2026 is closer than it looks when you factor in install scheduling across a fleet. The operators and fleet managers who contact us now will have their machines sorted well before the deadline. The ones who wait until November won't.
Does the new DPM limit apply to my machines?
If your machines run diesel engines and your operators spend time in the cabin in environments where diesel exhaust can accumulate, the limit is relevant to you. This includes underground plant (highest risk), surface excavators and haul trucks working in confined or low-airflow conditions, fleet operating near stationary diesel plant, and workshop personnel. The limit applies to worker exposure — so it's the concentration your operator is actually breathing that matters, not just the ambient site level. A HEPA pressurised cabin is the most effective engineering control for keeping in-cabin DPM below the 0.01 mg/m³ limit. If you're unsure whether your fleet is exposed, contact Setpoint and we can assess your machines on-site.
When does the WEL take effect?
1 December 2026. That is when the current Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) become legally enforceable Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) under model WHS legislation. The diesel particulate matter limit of 0.01 mg/m³ (measured as respirable elemental carbon) applies from that date. The respirable crystalline silica limit of 0.05 mg/m³ remains unchanged. For the official standards documentation, see the Safe Work Australia WEL page.
Until November.
Fleet assessments, installs, and pressure-testing across South Australia. All parts and filters stocked locally in Adelaide. We come to you.