0
Australians are employed as welders
0+
Australian welders exposed to high levels of carcinogenic fumes
0%
Of welders feel there are not enough fume reduction in the workplace
0%
Of welders are using no form of protection against welding fumes
We fought for the lower limit and won. Now it’s the law. Help us hold every workplace to account so no worker is still breathing more than they should.
Lower limits. Longer lives. We made it happen.
Welding fumes are classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. For years the legal exposure limit in Australian workplaces was set at 5mg/m³. That was far too high to properly protect the workers who were exposed to welding fumes everyday.
Through our Lower Limit, Live Longer campaign we got support from SafeWork Australia and forced Work Health and Safety Ministers to act. The workplace exposure standard for welding fumes has now been cut from 5mg/m³ to 1mg/m³.
That new limit is now law and every workplace in Australia must comply.
This is a major win not just AMWU members, but for all workers who are exposed to welding fumes. It shows what happens when manufacturing workers organise, campaign, and refuse to be treated as disposable labour. The science was clear. The risk was real. And together we forced the system to catch up.
Changing the law is only the start, it’s a foot step in the right direction. The real test is whether it gets enforced on every worksite. That means proper extraction, the right PPE, regular monitoring, and workers who know their rights and aren’t afraid to speak up.
If you’re a welder, a metalworker, or anyone who works around welding fumes, you deserve air that won’t shorten your life. We’ve created the National Welding Fumes Exposure Register so workers who may have been exposed to welding fumes can record information for for their future reference. Having a recorded history of your exposure in the workplace can help you access any workers compensation you may be owed if you develop an illness or disease that is linked to welding fumes.
Welding fumes cause cancer
Workers need air that won’t shorten their lives.
Our Lower Limit Live Longer campaign cut the welding fume limit from 5mg/m³ to 1mg/m³. Now it’s the law. Join more than 60,000 AMWU members to make sure every workplace actually complies.
What we’re fighting for
Our campaigns are building a stronger manufacturing industry and securing more work for Australian workers.
