Safe Work Australia has developed a guide and information sheet on managing the risks of diesel exhaust exposure in the workplace.

Diesel exhaust fills the air across a range of logistics, resources and other industrial sites, and the authorities say proactive steps must be taken to keep people breathing safely.

Short term exposure to high levels of diesel exhaust can cause eye, nose, throat and lung irritation or even suffocation. Long term exposure can worsen allergies, increase the risk of heart and lung disease and increase the risk of lung cancer.

Workers most likely to be exposed to diesel exhaust include drive-in booth operators, miners, construction workers, oil and gas workers, forklift drivers, loading dock workers, truck drivers, farmworkers, stevedores, and vehicle maintenance workers.

Safe Work’s guidelines are accessible in PDF form here, while the new information sheet PDF can be downloaded here.