Saint Bernard, Ohio

The City of Saint Bernard is a municipality in Hamilton County, Ohio. Saint Bernard has a population of about 4,300, occupying a 1.5 square mile area within the city of Cincinnati. Despite the city's small size, several major manufacturers have plants in Saint Bernard, including Procter & Gamble, the J.M. Smucker Company, BASF and Saint Bernard Soap. Much of Saint Bernard's industry is concentrated in the north end of town, with residential areas to the south.

Saint Bernard was incorporated as a village in 1878 and as a city in 1912. With convenient access to Cincinnati's developing industrial and commercial areas, Saint Bernard also became a manufacturing center. Chemicals, candles and soap were among the goods produced in Saint Bernard. In 1832, Michael Werk founded the Werk Soap and Candle Company. One hundred years later, as M. Werk & Company, it was the city's third largest soap maker, distributing its products nationally. The company was later acquired by Procter & Gamble, which maintains a research and development site in Saint Bernard. The Harkness & Cowing Company, established in 1854, produced red oil and candles for religious use. A list of chemical companies active in Saint Bernard in 1938 includes Cincinnati Chemical Works, Inc., Globe Chemical Company and American Cyanide and Chemical Company.

Saint Bernard has an active history of manufacturing and construction; much of this activity occurred during a period when asbestos-containing materials were widely used, making asbestos exposure an ongoing concern for workers and their loved ones. Exposure to asbestos may put workers at risk for malignant mesothelioma. If you were exposed to asbestos in Saint Bernard and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should also consider contacting an asbestos law firm.

Jobsites in Saint Bernard where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

A number of jobsites in Saint Bernard, 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.