Occupational exposure to diesel particulate matter in Western Australian mining: A retrospective analysis and challenges to future compliance

Authors/Creators

Matthew Oosthuizen, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Kerry Staples
Adelle Liebenberg, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Kiam Padamsey, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Marcus Cattani, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Andy McCarthy, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Jacques Oosthuizen, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow

Abstract

De-identified diesel particulate matter (DPM) exposure data (n = 24,459) was obtained from the Western Australian mining regulator to assess compliance with the current Workplace Exposure Standard (WES) of 0.1 mg/m³, measured as submicron elemental carbon, and a proposed limit of 0.01 mg/m³, assessed as respirable elemental carbon. R and R-Studio were used to generate summary statistics comparing compliance to the current and proposed limits, stratified by industry and occupational groups. To examine temporal trends, a zero-adjusted gamma model was used to assess whether expected sample means changed over the past ten years, using commodity and location as covariates. DPM exposures have declined significantly over the past decade, and modelling indicates compliance with the current WES. However, the proposed limit introduces both a lower limit and a different sampling method, which present challenges. The sector most affected by these changes is underground gold mining. Several occupational groups, such as ground/roof support, shotfirer, long hole drill and blast, and production and services, are at highest risk of non-compliance. Meeting future exposure limits will require enhanced control strategies, including, cleaner fuels, reduction or elimination of diesel-powered machinery in underground operations and appropriate and regulated use of respiratory protective equipment when assessing compliance.

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

9-1-2025

Volume

22

Issue

9

PubMed ID

41007554

Publication Title

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Publisher

MDPI

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

RAS ID

84440

Funders

Edith Cowan University

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Comments

Oosthuizen, M., Staples, K., Liebenberg, A., Padamsey, K., Cattani, M., McCarthy, A., & Oosthuizen, J. (2025). Occupational exposure to diesel particulate matter in Western Australian mining: A retrospective analysis and challenges to future compliance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(9), 1412. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22091412