Valves — Asbestos Exposure Crosswalk
What This Equipment Is
Valves are the most numerous mechanical components in any industrial facility — globe valves, gate valves, ball valves, check valves, control valves, butterfly valves, plug valves, relief valves. Power plants, refineries, breweries, chemical plants, paper mills, and hospitals can each have thousands of them.
Valves themselves are typically iron, bronze, or steel — not asbestos. Exposure comes from the packing that seals the valve stem, the gaskets that seal the bonnet and flanges, and the insulation wrapped around hot or cold valves in service.
Asbestos Products Historically Used Around Valves
| Product Category | Where on the Valve | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Valve packing | Stuffing box around the stem | Braided asbestos rope packing — replaced on every rebuild |
| Spiral-wound gaskets | Body-to-bonnet joints, flanged ends | Asbestos-filled spiral wound |
| Sheet gaskets | Flanged piping connections | Asbestos sheet gasket material |
| Pipe covering | Insulated valves in steam, process, or refrigeration | Magnesia, calcium silicate, fiberglass-asbestos |
| Insulating cement | Valve bonnets and irregular surfaces | Mixed dry, hand-applied |
Why Valve Maintenance Was a High-Exposure Activity
Industrial valves leak, fail, and require rebuild on a recurring cycle. A pipefitter or maintenance mechanic whose shop responsibility was valve repair could perform hundreds of rebuilds per year. Every rebuild historically meant: cutting and removing insulation, breaking the old bonnet gasket, removing the old gland packing, installing new packing rings, replacing the gasket, and re-insulating. Each step disturbed asbestos at close range.
Manufacturers Named in Litigation Involving These Products
- Crane Co. — valves; co-defendant in many cases citing the valves they supplied with original gaskets and packing
- Garlock Sealing Technologies — sheet gaskets, spiral-wound gaskets
- A.W. Chesterton — braided asbestos rope packing, compression packing
- John Crane — mechanical seals and packing
- Johns-Manville — pipe covering used to insulate valves
- Owens-Corning / Fibreboard — pipe covering
- Armstrong World Industries — calcium silicate insulation
- Anchor Packing — packing 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
- Owens-Corning / Fibreboard Asbestos PI Trust
- Armstrong World Industries Asbestos PI Settlement Trust
Trades Most Exposed at Valves
Pipefitters, maintenance mechanics, insulators (Heat & Frost), boilermakers, plant operators handling routine valve repacks.
Jobsites in the Network Documenting Valve-Intensive Operations
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery, St. Louis, Missouri
- Most Missouri industrial facilities in the network
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.