Occupational Exposure to Chemicals
Occupational exposure to chemicals represents one of the most pervasive and complex hazards in modern workplaces, encompassing a vast spectrum of substances including industrial solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, acids, alkalis, gases, fumes, dusts, fibers, and emerging synthetic compounds that workers may encounter across manufacturing, agriculture, mining, healthcare, construction, laboratories, waste management, and service industries, with exposure occurring through inhalation, dermal absorption, ingestion, or accidental injection, often in combinations that complicate toxicological prediction and risk assessment; the health consequences of such exposures are multifactorial, ranging from acute effects such as chemicals burns, irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, respiratory distress, dizziness, nausea, and chemical pneumonitis to chronic outcomes including occupational asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver and kidney dysfunction, neurotoxicity, re...