1,000 signatures reached
To: Australian Work Health & Safety Ministers
Lower the limit for welding fumes now
Australia's workplace exposure standard for welding fumes is out of date and leaving workers unnecessarily exposed to dangerous fumes known to cause cancer and other serious illnesses.
SafeWork Australia (SWA) needs to lower the limit for welding fumes, but they've so far failed to act.
That's why the AMWU is calling on Work Health & Safety Ministers in every state and territory to:
1. Direct their representatives at SafeWork Australia to support lowering the limit now from 5mg/1m³ to 1mg/1m³
2. Make sure this change is immediately implemented in every state and territory
We're also calling for a new regulation that will require welding fumes to be kept to the lowest possible level to make sure we see follow through in our workplaces.
SafeWork Australia next meets 6 September 2023.
Why is this important?
Too many Australian workers exposed to welding fumes are suffering from avoidable diseases such as lung cancer, occupational asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, manganese poisoning and deafness – just for doing their job.
This includes both people who weld and those who work around welding.
Every worker has the right to be safe at work, but we know that most workers affected feel that not enough is being done to reduce their exposure to welding fumes.
SafeWork Australia can help change that by immediately lowering the limit for welding fumes exposure – but it's going to take a show of support to make that happen.
How it will be delivered
We'll be meeting with Work Health & Safety Ministers before SafeWork Australia next meets 6 September 2023.