Bans on chrome are based on the thinking that if there's dangerous chemicals around, then there will be spills and that no spill is acceptable. It's partly right, but the steps required to get a permit to operate shops like that include a ton of spill prevention and lots of measures for containment so that if there is a spill, it doesn't spread. The idea that risk for an accident must be zero is why it's taken 40 years to even get close to going back to the moon.
The greatest risks in a plating shop are typically found in the chemical storage area. Puncture a barrel with a forklift and it's a bad day. Or have a careless employee move stuff around and place dangerous chems together or in uncontained space, and accidents can happen. Even the best worker safety programs don't help when half the population is of below-average intelligence. Stupid to blame the boss when workers don't follow procedure and mock safety as over-bearing but then sue if you try to fire them.
