Health and Safety Law 2024 (October 2024)
Not all hazardous substances are assigned a WEL and unions are campaigning for a lower occupational exposure limit for substances including silica, for example (see page 81). Unions support the “precautionary principle” which means that if there is a reasonable possibility that a substance may cause harm, there should be a presumption that it will do so, and therefore it should be controlled. Exposure to a WEL is not acceptable when removal or substitution is an option.
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