From 1 December 2026, Australia’s Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) for airborne contaminants are being replaced by Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL). If you manage a Sydney workplace, it’s a good time to review how airborne dust, vapours and cleaning chemicals are controlled on your site, and what your cleaning contract does and does not cover.
The change is relevant beyond factories and laboratories. Cleaning staff, warehouse teams, gym employees and building occupants may all work around airborne contaminants. But a cleaning contract alone does not make a site compliant: your business still needs to assess and manage risks from its own work activities.
What changes on 1 December 2026?
Until 30 November 2026, businesses must continue to follow the current WES list. From 1 December, the WEL list replaces it under the model WHS changes, subject to how these changes take effect in each jurisdiction.
The main points are:
- The name changes from WES to WEL. Safe Work Australia says the new term makes clear that the values are limits that must not be exceeded.
- Most existing values remain the same, but some limits, entries and notations change. New contaminants are added and others are treated differently.
- Some substances will no longer have a numerical limit. For certain non-threshold genotoxic carcinogens, the approach is to eliminate exposure where possible, substitute a safer alternative or otherwise reduce risk as far as reasonably practicable. No numerical limit does not mean exposure is acceptable.
- The duty to manage risk remains. A business must first try to eliminate the risk, then minimise it so far as reasonably practicable.
For details, read Safe Work Australia’s overview of the WEL transition and its summary of changes between the WES and WEL lists. Because WHS laws are implemented by individual jurisdictions, NSW businesses should also check current advice from SafeWork NSW.
Who should review their cleaning arrangements?
The transition matters most where work activities create or use airborne contaminants. Cleaning may form part of the site’s controls, but it is not a replacement for reviewing processes, chemicals, ventilation or exposure risks.
- Offices: Dust can collect on ledges, vents, carpets and equipment. Cleaning products may also release vapours, particularly if used in poorly ventilated areas.
- Warehouses: Vehicle emissions, stock handling and other operational tasks may create airborne contaminants. Dust on floors and high surfaces can be stirred up by traffic or poor cleaning methods.
- Gyms: High use of equipment and shared areas calls for regular cleaning. Sprays and disinfectants should be selected and used with care, particularly in enclosed spaces.
- Strata common areas: Lobbies, car parks, bin rooms and service areas need cleaning plans that consider ventilation, resident access and any hazards linked to the building’s use.
If your site uses hazardous chemicals or generates dust or fumes, ask your WHS adviser or an occupational hygienist whether the WEL review requires changes to your risk assessment or monitoring. Cleaning contractors can follow agreed site controls, but they generally cannot measure or certify workers’ exposure just by completing a routine clean.
How poor cleaning can add to exposure
Dust and chemical residues can build up when a cleaning routine misses the source of the problem or uses the wrong method.
For example, dry sweeping or using unsuitable vacuum equipment can lift settled dust back into the air. A dusty vent or high ledge can release particles when disturbed. In warehouse environments, floor dust may be redistributed by foot or vehicle traffic if it is not removed effectively.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gases released by some products and materials. Strong-smelling cleaning products, sprays or incorrect product use can add vapours to an enclosed space. Using too much product, failing to follow the label or leaving residues behind can also create avoidable contact with chemicals.
These are practical hygiene concerns, but they do not tell you whether a WEL has been exceeded. That requires an appropriate risk assessment and, where needed, professional exposure monitoring.
What does a well-managed cleaning routine look like?
The right plan depends on your building, activities and products. In general, discuss whether your routine includes:
- Dust control: Use damp wiping or other suitable methods to collect dust rather than spread it. Where vacuuming is appropriate, choose equipment with effective filtration, such as a properly maintained HEPA-filtered vacuum.
- Correct product use: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution, application and contact time. A disinfectant needs its specified dwell time on the surface to work; wiping it off too soon may make the treatment ineffective.
- Ventilation: Plan cleaning around the space and its ventilation. Avoid unnecessary spraying and ensure the area is ventilated as required by the product instructions and site risk assessment.
- Safe chemical handling: Keep products labelled, use the correct containers, consult safety data sheets and never mix chemicals unless the product instructions specifically allow it.
- Task separation: Use appropriate cloths and equipment for different areas to reduce cross-contamination between washrooms, kitchens, desks and shared equipment.
- Documented checks: Keep a clear scope, site-specific instructions and a way to report hazards, missed tasks or product concerns.
These steps support good hygiene and may contribute to risk controls. They do not, by themselves, prove that exposure limits are being met.
A Sydney site example
Consider a typical Alexandria warehouse with staff working near loading areas and a cleaning team scheduled after hours. If the cleaner dry-sweeps a dusty floor, particles may become airborne just before staff return. A more considered plan could use suitable dust-collection equipment, schedule the task to avoid people being nearby and coordinate it with site ventilation and traffic controls.
That is a practical cleaning improvement, not a substitute for investigating vehicle emissions or measuring exposure if the site’s risk assessment indicates monitoring is needed.
How to tell whether your current provider is ready
A provider should be able to explain the cleaning tasks and controls they have agreed to follow. Look for a site-specific plan rather than a generic promise to “clean to standard”.
Check whether your provider can:
- Identify the products used on site and provide labels or safety data sheets on request.
- Explain how they control dust and avoid spreading it during cleaning.
- Follow your instructions for ventilation, access, restricted areas and chemical storage.
- Train staff on safe dilution, handling and task procedures.
- Record completed work and report hazards or changes to site conditions.
- Coordinate with your WHS or facilities team when cleaning intersects with operational risks.
A provider’s answer should be practical and transparent. If they claim that routine cleaning alone guarantees WEL compliance, ask how that claim is supported.
Questions to ask before renewing your contract
Use this checklist when reviewing your scope:
- What cleaning products do you use, and can we review their safety data sheets?
- How do you control dust without pushing it back into the air?
- Are HEPA-filtered vacuums used where the site risk assessment or task calls for them, and how are filters maintained?
- How do you follow product dilution and disinfectant contact-time instructions?
- What ventilation or access arrangements do you need from us?
- How will your team report damaged containers, unexpected dust or other hazards?
- Can you update the site-specific cleaning plan if our operations or risk assessment change?
- Which exposure risks require action from our business or an occupational hygienist rather than the cleaning team?
Review the contract before December
Start by listing the chemicals used or generated by your site, checking the relevant WES-to-WEL changes, and asking your WHS adviser what needs to be updated. Then review whether your cleaning scope supports the controls you expect. The legal duties sit with the relevant PCBUs, so clarify responsibilities between your business, building management and contractors.
For local support, explore office and commercial cleaning in Sydney, gym cleaning and strata cleaning. Keen2Clean4U provides commercial cleaning for Sydney workplaces, with a regular team, site-specific schedules and photo reports after each clean. A conversation about your current scope can help identify practical cleaning improvements before the 1 December transition.