My job requires me to be around oil often. I have been feeling sick. Isn’t harmful toxic exposure illegal in this case?

One common ailment affecting workers in the oil industry is benzene exposure. Workers in various industries that make or use benzene may be at risk for being exposed to high levels of this carcinogenic chemical. Industries that involve the use of benzene include the rubber industry, oil refineries, chemical plants, shoe manufacturers, and gasoline related industries.

There are two government entities that would be directly relevant to your case: the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The OSHA's mission is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths by issuing and enforcing rules (called standards) for workplace safety and health. They have set a permissible exposure limit of 1 part of benzene per million parts of air (1 ppm) in the workplace during an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek. The EPA government is a government organization that is responsible in monitoring and analyzing the environment, conduct research, and work closely with state and local governments to devise pollution control policies. These are two great resources to start your research.

In addition, it would be advisable to see a doctor if you have not already done so. Once the doctor determines why you are sick, you can take steps to pinpoint the exact source of what caused your sickness. For your legal rights, an Environmental Lawyer would be very beneficial since they are aware of the complex legal issues in regards to environmental law and its connection with employment law. Moving forward, it would be best to consult with an Environmental Lawyer to determine the best course of action for your case.