Workplace Exposure Standards for H2S and other chemicals: What to measure and how.
In August 2021, as part of the review of the Workplace Exposure Standards for 700 chemicals, Safe Work Australia proposed new lower limits for hydrogen sulphide and chlorine. These new limits have the potential to result in significant costs for water businesses.
There has been a call from the urban water sector for a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) to be undertaken ahead of any change to the limits due to the concern from the industry around the cost to water businesses to implement new practices, and the proposed timeline for compliance with those limits. A RIA, if undertaken, is now the responsibility of state WHS ministers: in Queensland this falls under the purview of Minster for Industrial Relations, Grace Grace.
qldwater has organised an information session with Brad Geinitz, Chief Advisor Occupational Health & Hygiene from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland on what compliance to WES standards looks like, and what information can be gathered by water utilities right now to understand their existing risk. This information will be very important if an RIA is undertaken in Queensland.
This session will be held at the Eagle Farm offices, in hybrid format and will include a Q&A session.
13 September 10:00am -12:00pm
Level 1, 6 Eagleview Place, Eagle Farm
We would encourage any who are able to attend in person to please come and meet with Brad face-to-face.