Risks of inorganic chemicals: A comprehensive and current review from an occupational health and safety perspective

Inorganic chemicals are fundamental components of industrial production, playing a critical role in numerous sectors. However, the processes of their production, transport, storage, and use pose serious and multifaceted threats to occupational health and safety (OHS). This review paper provides an in-depth examination of the risks associated not only with heavy metals, acids, bases, and toxic gases but also with other widely used inorganic substances in industry, such as fibrous silicates like asbestos, crystalline silica dust, ammonia, cyanides, and hydrofluoric acid. The paper highlights the relationship between acute hazards, such as poisoning, chemical burns, explosions, and fires, and chronic diseases with long latency periods, including silicosis, asbestosis, manganese, and occupational cancers. National and international legislation, best practice standards, and the risk management hierarchy are discussed in light of current and historical industrial accidents, such as the Beirut Port Explosion, to present a holistic safety perspective. This study posits that working safely with inorganic chemicals is not merely a legal obligation but an ethical responsibility that requires a proactive and knowledge-based risk management culture.