CleanSpace is redefining respiratory safety with smart, data-driven solutions that protect workers and streamline compliance.
Safety managers across Australia are preparing for a transition that will reshape how airborne risks are managed on-site. By December 2026, Australia will move to a new list of workplace exposure limits (WEL) for airborne contaminants.
The fact mining operations involve the presence of silica dust, gases, vapours and fumes means careful management is required to maintain a safe working environment. Companies and managers play a vital role in addressing these airborne contaminants by implementing controls designed to protect workers’ health.
The transition to the WEL list represents a tightening of those limits and a greater emphasis on compliance. It will require businesses to be more enterprising and transparent in managing exposure.
This evolving regulatory landscape highlights why a proactive, data-backed approach to selecting respiratory protection is more important than ever. With the path forward already marked, mining operations now need solutions that align with those fresh priorities.
Offering reliability, ease of use and actionable insights tailored to the realities of mining operations, CleanSpace meets this demand with systems designed to provide effective protection and meaningful information in real-time.
As a specialist in powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), CleanSpace recognises that converting dust into data is central to delivering that promise.
Its smart app provides real-time insights into filter life, battery status, fit checks and usage patterns, turning invisible hazards into visible, manageable information. This empowers workers and safety managers to make informed decisions, ensuring respiratory protection remains uncompromised throughout each shift.
This level of visibility makes a measurable difference on sites where conditions shift quickly and documentation matters.
In the context of the upcoming WEL transition, it also means being able to track and verify protection on a daily basis – building a defensible record of compliance without adding complexity to already demanding operations.
On the ground
A large operator recently set out to test how CleanSpace’s smart app could support safety efforts across two of its high-dust work sites. The focus was practical: would it offer meaningful visibility into how respiratory equipment is used day to day, and could that data help teams respond with greater accuracy?
To put that to the test, workers were equipped with CleanSpace CST ULTRA respirators, each paired to the app. Once connected, the units began collecting live data related to fitting, battery life and filter usage. This meant they safety managers could monitor performance immediately, with each session automatically recorded and stored.
After several weeks, the data revealed useful patterns.
Daily wear times typically ranged from 15–37 minutes, depending on the task and level of exposure. The highest uptake aligned with areas of known risk, suggesting workers were using the equipment when it mattered most. Even during moments of lowest protection, the respirators maintained effectiveness above accepted safety standards, providing consistent performance across changing conditions.
Filter usage also followed a predictable rhythm. Most operators required just one filter per shift, and automated reminders helped prompt changes before any issues developed. The few inconsistencies that did appear, such as uneven wear time across teams, pointed to simple training opportunities rather than equipment failures.
What stood out most was the shift in how people interacted with the equipment, with operators appreciating the ability to check their own protection status without needing to ask or guess.
Meanwhile, supervisors found value in something less obvious: a clear record of use. The app showed when equipment was worn and how well it was working.
“It’s not just about wearing a mask anymore, it’s about proving it works every time you use it,” one safety manager on the site said.
What started out as a straightforward equipment trial soon proved to be something far more valuable. Using CleanSpace’s smart app and insights report, the team didn’t just get real-time data but gained a way to turn everyday usage into informed decisions.
With regulation tightening on the horizon, having this kind of clear, actionable information is quickly becoming essential. CleanSpace also supports companies with advanced equipment designed to prepare them for the road ahead. It’s a space where its innovative systems truly come into their own.
The CleanSpace CST ULTRA PAPR offers a powerful combination of comfort and durability, designed for the realities of mining operations. Its lightweight, ergonomic design helps workers wear it consistently throughout long shifts, while its integration with the CleanSpace smart app ensures protection is optimised.
For sites operating in hazardous environments where explosion risks are a concern, the CleanSpace EX provides intrinsically safe certified, reliable protection without sacrificing ease of use.
Both systems deliver the peace of mind that comes with knowing every breath is safeguarded, and every risk is managed with precision.
It’s this basket of solutions, digital and practical, that could place mining companies ahead of the curve late next year, turning safety on site from an enforced compliance task into a competitive advantage.
And operations don’t need to hold their breath until 2026 for that to happen; CleanSpace is helping make that future a reality today.
This feature appeared in the September-October edition of Safe to Work.