Changes to WHS requirements for inorganic lead

Safe Work Australia invites you to have your say on proposed changes to work health and safety requirements for inorganic lead.

Current scientific evidence suggests that current legislated blood lead levels and workplace exposure standards do not adequately protect worker health.

Exposure standards are specified in the model Work Health and Safety Regulations as mandatory legal limits to protect the health of workers and minimise exposure to chemicals in the workplace.

Safe Work Australia is seeking feedback on proposed amendments to blood lead levels and airborne lead concentrations, in particular options for:

1. Setting levels of lead in workers’ blood (blood lead levels) to identify:

a) trigger points to commence mandatory health monitoring of workers;
b) workers who need to be removed from lead risk work; and
c) when those workers may be returned to lead risk work.

2. Setting maximum concentration levels of lead in air for workplaces.

Workers and businesses involved with or undertaking lead risk work, regulators, occupational hygienists, work health and safety professionals and other interested stakeholders are invited to comment on options put forward in the Consultation Regulation Impact Statement.

We want to hear your thoughts on the options presented; the cost and impact to businesses, any technical barriers which may preclude adoption and the degree to which businesses have already implemented voluntary control measures beyond those prescribed in the regulations and workplace exposure standards.

The public consultation period is open for 10 weeks. Submissions can be made via the Safe Work Australia public submissions website. Submissions close 5.30 pm AEDT, Friday 26 February 2016.