AUSTRALIA HCIS & WES-TO-WEL REGULATORY UPDATE
Safe Work Australia (SWA) has launched an updated Hazardous Chemical Information System (HCIS), bringing GHS classification data and workplace exposure limit information into a single search experience. The revised system consolidates GHS classification data and Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) information on unified chemical substance profile pages, with refreshed classification datasets from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS).
For manufacturers, importers and downstream industrial users supplying chemicals to Australia, the update affects verification workflows for hazardous chemical classification, labelling, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and workplace exposure risk management. The new WELs will take effect on 1 December 2026; until then, workplaces must continue to comply with the current Workplace Exposure Standards (WES).
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What HCIS Does—and Does Not Do
HCIS is a web-based information platform maintained by SWA for retrieving hazardous chemical classifications and occupational exposure limit values. When the updated system was launched, it contained records for 4,093 hazardous chemical substances and 635 workplace exposure limits.
HCIS is a guidance and reference tool only. It does not have legal force and cannot exempt businesses from their statutory responsibilities. Australian chemical manufacturers and importers remain responsible for determining whether their products are hazardous chemicals and, where applicable, for correctly classifying them and preparing compliant labels and SDSs in accordance with the relevant GHS criteria. The absence of a substance from HCIS does not mean that the substance is not hazardous.
What Changed in the Updated HCIS?
1. Modernised Interface and Streamlined Search
The updated HCIS has a refreshed interface compatible with mobile phones, tablets and desktop devices. Unlike the previous platform, it allows users to retrieve relevant chemical information through a single search portal rather than searching hazard classification and exposure limit modules separately.
This can simplify work for businesses managing extensive inventories of raw materials, intermediates, processing aids and formulated mixtures, particularly during procurement screening, SDS validation, label audits and on-site occupational health risk assessments.
2. GHS Classification and WEL Data on One Page
A key change is the integration of a substance’s GHS hazard classification and corresponding WEL information on one dedicated page. In a single search, users can cross-reference:
Chemical names, synonyms and CAS Registry Numbers
GHS hazard classification
8-hour time-weighted average (TWA)
Short-term exposure limit (STEL)
Peak limitation
Supplementary hazard indicators, including dermal absorption potential, skin sensitisation, respiratory sensitisation and ototoxicity notations
Guidance on health surveillance requirements and restricted or prohibited chemical substances
Case Example
Acetylsalicylic Acid: TWA and Ototoxicity Notation
Acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin, CAS No. 50-78-2) has an 8-hour TWA limit of 5 mg/m3 under the new WEL schedule, together with a newly added OTO (ototoxicity) notation. This notation indicates that simultaneous exposure to the chemical and occupational noise may increase the risk of permanent hearing impairment. Businesses conducting on-site risk assessments should therefore avoid managing chemical and noise exposure hazards in isolation.
3. Refreshed GHS Classification Data Sources
The updated HCIS incorporates refreshed GHS classification datasets from ECHA and AICIS. However, HCIS reference data cannot replace an independent hazard classification assessment for a proprietary finished product or mixture. Manufacturers and importers of multi-component formulations must still complete the final hazard classification in accordance with GHS protocols, based on product composition, constituent concentrations and all available toxicological hazard evidence.
WES-to-WEL Transition: What the Change Means
In November 2025, SWA published Workplace exposure limits for airborne contaminants, a comprehensive revision of the former Workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants. The WELs were developed through a full technical review of the previous WES framework, including an evaluation of current scientific evidence on the adverse health effects of airborne contaminants. The change from “standards” to “limits” aligns Australia with terminology used internationally and emphasises that the values are maximum exposure levels that must not be exceeded, rather than advisory best-practice guidelines.
Businesses should distinguish between two transition periods:
Up to and including 30 November 2026: Workplaces must comply with the existing WES framework.
From 1 December 2026: WELs will replace WES, and the updated WEL data in HCIS will become the primary reference for exposure limit verification.
The updated HCIS displays only the WEL values scheduled to apply from 1 December 2026. During the transition period, organisations should use the current WES document and the previous HCIS platform to verify their existing WES obligations. The previous HCIS platform is expected to be decommissioned in early 2027.
Key Revisions to Australia’s Workplace Exposure Limits
The updated WEL schedule introduces both structural and substantive changes. The previous WES table included columns for chemical identity, CAS number, TWA, STEL, carcinogenicity classification, dermal absorption and sensitisation markers, and other annotations. The new WEL framework separates exposure metrics into three categories—TWA, STEL and Peak Limit—and consolidates supplementary hazard guidance under an “Advisory notation” section.
1. Revised Exposure Limits and Control Metrics
SWA notes that, following the WEL review, “most limits remain unchanged”. Some limits have been revised based on health-based recommendations, and new airborne contaminants have been added. The published list includes tighter limits for several common chemicals, including the following examples:
| Substance | CAS Number | Current WES Threshold | New WEL (Effective 1 December 2026) | Key Regulatory Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acetic anhydride | 108-24-7 | Peak limitation: 5 ppm (21 mg/m3) | TWA: 0.5 ppm (2.1 mg/m3); STEL: 1 ppm (4.2 mg/m3) | Dramatic tightening of permissible exposure; single peak limitation control replaced with dual TWA and STEL oversight |
| Acetone | 67-64-1 | TWA: 500 ppm; STEL: 1,000 ppm | TWA: 250 ppm; STEL: 500 ppm | 50% reduction to both long-term and short-term exposure thresholds |
| Acrolein | 107-02-8 | TWA: 0.1 ppm; STEL: 0.3 ppm | TWA: 0.02 ppm; STEL: 0.05 ppm | Marked reduction of both chronic and acute exposure limits |
| Asphalt fumes | 8052-42-4 | TWA: 5 mg/m3 | TWA: 0.5 mg/m3 | 90% cut to long-term exposure limit; health surveillance notation appended |
Manufacturers and operators involved in solvent processing, resin and coating production, metal fabrication and welding, battery material manufacturing, pesticide formulation, rubber and plastic processing, and road surfacing are advised to assess their existing local exhaust ventilation, process enclosure, automated material transfer and personal protective equipment (PPE) systems against the revised WELs.
2. Separate Sensitisation Notations and a New Ototoxicity Notation
The previous WES framework used a general “Sen” marker for substances presenting skin and/or respiratory sensitisation hazards. The WEL framework uses more specific notations:
DSEN: Dermal sensitiser.
RSEN: Respiratory sensitiser.
Sk: Absorption through the skin may be a significant source of exposure.
OTO: Ototoxic. Exposure can increase the risk of hearing loss.
This more specific notation system supports clearer hazard communication and workplace controls. For example, aniline and its homologues have both DSEN and Sk notations under the new schedule. This calls for controls addressing both airborne concentrations and skin contact, including chemical-resistant gloves, full-body protective clothing, safety goggles and fully enclosed liquid or gas transfer systems. For OTO-marked substances, employers should integrate chemical exposure controls with occupational noise management because simultaneous exposure to ototoxic chemicals and industrial noise may create a greater hearing impairment risk than either hazard alone.
3. Removal of the Standalone Carcinogenicity Column and Separate Treatment of NTGCs
The previous WES schedule contained a dedicated column for carcinogenicity categories (Carc. 1A, Carc. 1B and Carc. 2). This column has been removed from the WEL table. Businesses must instead refer to HCIS or the latest SDS for current carcinogenicity classifications.
Non-Threshold Genotoxic Carcinogens (NTGCs) are listed separately in Appendix B of the revised document. Because no safe exposure threshold can be established for NTGCs, employers must eliminate these substances from the workplace or reduce the associated risks to the lowest reasonably practicable level.
Implications for Industrial Chemical Supply Chains
The updated HCIS and the upcoming WEL implementation will affect compliance management across industrial chemical supply chains. Existing air-monitoring data may need to be reassessed where exposure thresholds have been reduced or hazard notations have changed. Chemical manufacturers and importers should also review relevant product formulations, hazard classifications, SDSs and container labels against the updated GHS classifications and WEL values.
Recommended Actions for Businesses
Cross-reference the chemical inventory: Use the updated HCIS to check substances manufactured, imported or used on-site. Prioritise chemicals with revised exposure limits and materials newly assigned RSEN, DSEN or OTO notations.
Review SDSs and product labels: Plan updates to SDSs and labels for chemicals supplied to Australia before the transition deadline, taking account of the latest GHS classifications and WEL values.
Assess on-site exposure controls: Facilities handling airborne contaminants, particularly NTGCs, should review occupational hygiene controls and upgrade ventilation, other engineering controls and PPE where necessary.
The updated HCIS provides an integrated platform for retrieving Australian hazardous chemical information and preparing for the WES-to-WEL transition. By bringing GHS classifications, WELs and supplementary hazard notations together, it supports chemical classification, SDS and label review, and on-site airborne exposure management. Businesses should complete relevant reviews and updates before 1 December 2026, using both the current and updated sources during the transition period.
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