Queensland Silica Compliance in 2026: What Changes on 1 December

What changes on 1 December 2026?

From 1 December 2026, Australia’s workplace exposure standards will become workplace exposure limits.

For respirable crystalline silica, the number itself does not change. The limit remains:

0.05 mg/m³ as an eight-hour time-weighted average.

Importantly, this is already the legal maximum. The December change is largely about terminology and making it clearer that the figure is a limit that must not be exceeded, not a target or guideline.

For PCBUs, the practical requirement remains the same: silica exposure must be eliminated where reasonably practicable, or otherwise minimised so far as reasonably practicable.

What counts as a crystalline silica substance?

Since September 2024, Queensland’s silica requirements have applied to crystalline silica substances, or CSS.

A CSS is any material containing at least 1% crystalline silica by weight.

That means the requirements go well beyond engineered stone. They can apply to common materials including concrete, bricks, pavers, tiles, mortar, natural stone and other silica-containing products.

Tasks such as cutting, drilling, grinding, crushing and demolition can release respirable crystalline silica into the worker’s breathing zone.

Where CSS processing is identified as high risk, PCBUs may need a silica risk control plan, appropriate control measures, worker training and, depending on the level of risk, health monitoring.

When is silica air monitoring required?

Air monitoring is required where a PCBU cannot be certain on reasonable grounds that worker exposure remains below the applicable limit, or where monitoring is needed to determine whether there is a risk to health.

That is an important distinction.

Silica content alone does not tell you the level of worker exposure. Exposure depends on the task, duration, environment, ventilation, equipment and controls being used.

A defensible monitoring program should therefore reflect the actual work being performed.

For respirable crystalline silica, personal exposure monitoring is typically undertaken in accordance with AS 2985, with laboratory analysis by an appropriately accredited laboratory.

The purpose is not simply to produce a number. Monitoring should help establish who is being exposed, during what activities, and whether the controls in place are working effectively.

What happens if a result exceeds 0.05 mg/m³?

A result above 0.05 mg/m³ requires action.

The PCBU should review the task and controls, identify why the exceedance occurred and determine what needs to change before the work continues under the same conditions.

That may include reviewing wet methods, local exhaust ventilation, isolation, equipment selection, work practices or respiratory protection.

In Queensland, where high-risk CSS processing is being undertaken and air monitoring identifies an exceedance, the result must also be reported to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland within the required timeframe.

A result below 0.05 mg/m³ should not automatically be treated as proof that the risk is adequately controlled either. The broader duty remains to minimise exposure so far as reasonably practicable.

Queensland mines and quarries

Mineral mines and quarries operate under a separate regulatory framework administered by Resources Safety and Health Queensland.

For these sites, QGL02 provides guidance on the management of respirable dust, including RCS monitoring, control and reporting requirements.

This matters for businesses working across construction, civil, quarrying and resources because the applicable monitoring and reporting framework can depend on the type of site.

What should PCBUs review before December?

The December change is a useful point for businesses to review their silica management systems.

PCBUs should be able to demonstrate that they understand which materials and tasks create silica exposure, have assessed high-risk processing, are using appropriate controls, have trained relevant workers and know when air and health monitoring obligations are triggered.

They should also have a clear process for reviewing monitoring results, responding to elevated exposure and reporting exceedances where required.

The key point is simple:

0.05 mg/m³ is not changing on 1 December. The expectation that silica exposure is properly understood, controlled and verified remains.

Where BBN fits

BBN supports clients with respirable crystalline silica exposure assessments, personal air monitoring, monitoring strategies and interpretation of results.

Our occupational hygiene team can help establish baseline exposure, assess whether controls are working effectively and provide practical recommendations where further action is required.

With the transition to workplace exposure limits approaching, the objective is not simply to prepare for a new name on 1 December. It is to have a silica management program that can demonstrate effective control of worker exposure.