Reading, Ohio

The city of Reading is a suburb of Cincinnati in Hamilton County, Ohio. Located in the southwest corner of the state, Reading has a current population of about 11,200. Reading's economy is a mix of manufacturing, research and retail. The Reading Life Sciences Complex houses the University of Cincinnati's Genome Research Institute, as well as pharmaceutical manufacturers Girindus America and Patheon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. On the retail side, the city is home to the Reading Bridal District, an area of more than two dozen wedding-related businesses, shops and eateries, and the largest such district in North America.

Reading began in 1797 as Voorhees-Town, a settlement in Sycamore Township. The town was formally laid out in 1804, and eventually given the name Reading. 19th-century industries in Reading included ready-to-wear clothing, brewing, cigar making, fireworks manufacturing and carriage-making. Reading incorporated as a village in 1851. In 1892, a bond issue was made in order to fund construction of water and electric plants, and a municipal fire department organized. In the 20th century, Reading became a center of chemical manufacturing. In 1915, P.W. Drackett & Sons Company began as a chemical company, but made its name as the originator of homecare products Drano and Windex, among others. In 1933, the company changed its name to the Drackett Company, and was acquired by Bristol-Meyers Squibb in 1965. The Carlisle Chemical Works was established in 1940. Today, the property is occupied by The Dow Chemical Company's Rohm & Haas division.. The Nivison-Weiskopf Company made boxes and glass bottles at its Reading plant from around 1900 to the 1990s. The plant, which adjoins the Life Sciences Complex, was demolished around 2008.

Industry and construction in Reading have made asbestos exposure an ongoing concern for workers and their loved ones. Workers exposed to asbestos may be at risk for malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma in Reading, you may also benefit from seeking the advice of a mesothelioma attorney.

Jobsites in Reading where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

A number of jobsites in Reading, OH have been identified as harboring asbestos containing materials. These sites, at one point in their history, were known to have exposed a variety of tradesmen to asbestos. We will be documenting in more detail how asbestos exposure occurred at these sites in the future on this web site.