Shahroud University of Medical siences Shahroud Journal of Medical Sciences 2423-6594 11 1 2025 05 05 A smarter path to safety: how AI can prevent the next workplace tragedy 48 48 eng Mohammad Hossein Ebrahimi Environmental and Occupational Health Research Center, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran. ebrahimi_mh@hotmail.com Mahdi Jamshidi Rastani Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran. mhdjamshidy@yahoo.com Abdullah Barkhordari Environmental and Occupational Health Research Center Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran. barkhordari2007@gmail.com 2025 05 14 2025 06 11   The Bandar Abbas explosion: a stark reminder of safety and health gaps On April 25, 2025, a devastating explosion rocked the Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, resulting in multiple fatalities and over 100 injuries. Preliminary investigations suggest that the accident may have stemmed from non-compliance with hazardous materials storage protocols and inadequate segregation of dangerous substances (1). This tragedy echoes historical industrial disasters such as the Tabas coal mine collapse and the Damghan mining accident—each serving as a stark reminder of the critical importance of proactive hazard identification, comprehensive risk assessment, and the implementation of robust control measures in occupational environments. When hazards remain unidentified or mitigation strategies are absent, the outcomes are often catastrophic and irreversible.