Queensland and South Australia Delay Phosphine Exposure Limits

The Queensland government announced a delay to new workplace exposure limits regarding the grain protectant phosphine. These limits, devised by Safe Work Australia, reduced the time-weighted average exposure limit from 0.3 parts per million to 0.05 parts per million and the peak limit to 0.15 parts per million. South Australia also deferred the limits, aligning mainland states in pausing the regulations.

The grains industry welcomed the pause, arguing the original limits would render the product critical for grain storage virtually unusable. The deferral provides the grain supply chain time to develop practical compliance solutions. The limits were originally scheduled for December 1, during the nation's harvest peak.