Catherwood LibraryILR School

While many countries have banned asbestos completely due to its dangerous carcinogenic effects, the US never took such proactive measures. As such, workers have continued to be exposed to asbestos for decades, especially at chlorine production plant companies like OxyChem and Olin. Recently, workers at an OxyChem plant in Niagara Falls have spoken out about their continued exposure to asbestos and the lack of action by management to address workers' safety concerns. For years, this workplace issue was overlooked due to the confidentiality of workers' compensation cases, the fear of losing one's job that prevented many workers from advocating for themselves, and lack of responsibility taken by regulators and OSHA to hold the company accountable. This demonstrates the longstanding conflict between the public, legislators, and businesses regarding environmental regulations that impact both living and work conditions.