If you have ever worked in chemical plants, you may be at risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, such as asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma. There are numerous health hazards associated with employment at a chemical production facility, and the presence of asbestos materials at the plant is a continual danger. Calhio Chemicals in Perry, Ohio was no exception.
Asbestos was so commonly used in the chemical industry because it is very effective industrial insulator. The material is durable, cheap and highly resistant to heat and fire. As a result, many Calhio Chemicals plant employees may have been exposed to such toxic asbestos materials, leading to serious illnesses like mesothelioma.
Calhio Chemical’s Industrial Hazards
Historical records further show that Calhio Chemicals, Inc. underwent federal health-hazard evaluations in the mid-1970s related to process chemicals (not asbestos), following worker complaints and an on-site fatality. While those NIOSH reports concern different toxicants, they underscore the plant’s industrial risk profile and the likelihood that varied legacy materials—including asbestos-containing components typical of the period—were present somewhere in the facility’s infrastructure.
Health Consequences Tied to Asbestos
Inhaled asbestos fibers are linked to mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis. These diseases feature long latency—often 20–50 years—so a diagnosis today can trace back to exposures decades ago. Anyone who worked at or routinely maintained equipment at a mid-century chemical plant should inform their physicians about possible asbestos exposure to ensure appropriate screening and specialist referrals. Authoritative public-health sources describe asbestos as a group of carcinogenic silicate minerals with well-established respiratory risks. ATSDR
Building a legal claim
A viable asbestos case typically requires: (1) a qualifying diagnosis; (2) evidence of exposure (e.g., job duties, maintenance tasks, products handled, witnesses, records); and (3) identification of responsible companies—product manufacturers, contractors, or premises owners. Because asbestos was embedded in many third-party products (insulation, gaskets, packing), claims often proceed against product manufacturers and asbestos bankruptcy trusts rather than solely against the plant operator. National and Ohio-focused asbestos resources explain how chemical-plant exposures have been litigated and compensated through settlements, verdicts, and trust claims.
If you worked at Calhio Chemical—or as a contractor servicing its pipes, boilers, pumps, reactors, or HVAC—consider the following steps:
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Medical documentation: Obtain and preserve pathology reports, imaging, and physician notes that confirm an asbestos-related diagnosis.
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Exposure history: Write a timeline of departments, job titles, equipment worked on, shutdown/turnaround periods, and co-workers who can attest to dusty insulation or gasket work.
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Product identification: Note brand names of insulation, gaskets, packing, or refractory materials used; old maintenance manuals and purchase records can help link exposure to specific manufacturers.
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Legal consultation: Speak with counsel experienced in Ohio asbestos litigation and national trust claims; they can coordinate expert testimony and product-identification research and advise on statutes of limitation and venue strategy. Ohio-specific guides emphasize the value of local experience paired with national reach.
