Expansion Joints (Industrial Bellows & Fabric Joints) — Asbestos Exposure Crosswalk
What This Equipment Is
Expansion joints absorb thermal growth and movement in piping and ductwork that operates over a wide temperature range. Without them, the dimensional changes caused by heating and cooling would over-stress pipe supports, vessel nozzles, and equipment connections. They appear in:
- Steam piping — high-pressure and high-temperature steam systems in power plants and industrial steam plants
- Flue-gas ductwork and breechings — between boiler outlet, precipitator, fan, and stack (see Breechings)
- Exhaust systems — engine exhaust, turbine exhaust, kiln exhaust
- Process piping — refinery, chemical-plant, and petrochemical systems
For decades, fabric-type expansion joints were built using woven asbestos cloth as the flexible element, often layered with fiberglass and steel mesh. Even where the moving element is a metal bellows, insulation pillows and gland packings containing asbestos were commonly installed around the joint.
Asbestos Products Historically Used in Expansion Joints
| Product Category | Where on the Joint | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Woven asbestos cloth | Fabric-type bellows element | The flexible component itself |
| Insulation pillows | Around metal-bellows joints | Asbestos cloth shell with asbestos batting inside |
| Gland packings | Slip-type expansion-joint seals | Braided asbestos rope packing |
| Pipe covering | Insulation up to and past the joint | Magnesia, calcium silicate |
| Asbestos millboard | Heat shielding at high-temperature joint locations | See Millboard |
| Gaskets | Flanged joint connections | Asbestos sheet gasket material |
Why Expansion-Joint Work Was a High-Exposure Activity
Expansion joints fail. Fabric joints crack at hinge points and burn through at hot spots. Metal bellows develop fatigue cracks. Insulation pillows shred from thermal cycling. Replacement work involves cutting away the old joint (releasing asbestos cloth, batting, and packing fiber), cleaning the flange faces (gasket scraping), and installing fresh components (more fresh fiber from cut cloth and packing rings).
Boiler-outage work, refinery-turnaround work, and incinerator-overhaul work all drive concentrated expansion-joint replacement activity.
Manufacturers Named in Expansion-Joint Litigation
- Garlock Sealing Technologies — fabric expansion joints, sealing components
- John Crane — fabric and metal expansion joints
- Pathway Bellows — metal expansion joints
- U.S. Bellows — metal expansion joints
- A.W. Chesterton — packing and sealing products
- Johns-Manville — asbestos cloth and millboard used in expansion joints
- Raybestos-Manhattan — asbestos textile products
Documented Product References
Images sourced from publicly available product-identification reference materials. Inclusion does not constitute a finding of liability against any company.
Trust Funds That May Apply
- Garlock Sealing Technologies LLC Asbestos PI Trust
- Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust
- Raybestos-Manhattan Asbestos PI Trust
Trades Most Exposed at Expansion-Joint Work
Pipefitters, insulators (Heat & Frost), boilermakers and iron workers on ductwork joints, refinery turnaround crews, maintenance mechanics, contract specialty crews on incinerator and kiln work.
Jobsites in the Network Documenting Expansion Joints
- Every Missouri power plant (steam piping and breechings)
- Missouri refineries and chemical plants (process piping)
- See companion pages: Pipe Insulation, Breechings, Asbestos Cloth
Compiled from publicly filed asbestos litigation, EPA / state-DNR records, and industry-publication histories. Product and company references reflect what has been alleged or documented in publicly filed litigation. This page does not constitute a finding of liability against any company. Not legal advice; consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.