Was Fairbanks Morse Opposed-Piston Diesel — asbestos documented in litigation?

Fairbanks Morse Opposed-Piston Diesel — is documented in public asbestos litigation records as a manufacturer whose products contained asbestos during the mid-twentieth century. Workers in industrial facilities, power plants, refineries, shipyards, and commercial construction who handled or worked near these products may have experienced occupational exposure.

Which trades had the most exposure?

Pipe coverers and insulators, pipefitters, boilermakers, millwrights, and maintenance workers are among the trades most frequently documented in asbestos exposure claims. Workers who cut, fitted, or removed asbestos-containing products — and those working in close proximity during that work — typically had the highest fiber concentrations.

How long do workers have to file an asbestos claim?

Statutes of limitations for asbestos personal injury claims vary by state, typically ranging from one to five years from the date of an asbestos-related diagnosis. The clock generally starts at diagnosis, not exposure — mesothelioma can have a latency period of 20 to 50 years. An asbestos attorney can identify the deadlines that apply to your specific situation.

Can workers file claims related to Fairbanks Morse Opposed-Piston Diesel — asbestos exposure?

Yes. Workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis after exposure to Fairbanks Morse Opposed-Piston Diesel — products may pursue claims through civil litigation. An experienced asbestos attorney can assess available defendants, applicable trust funds from co-defendants, and the states where claims can be filed most effectively.

Can family members file secondary exposure claims?

Spouses, children, and household members who developed asbestos-related disease through contact with contaminated work clothing brought home by an exposed worker may be eligible for secondary (household) exposure claims. Wrongful-death claims can also be filed by surviving family members of workers who died from asbestos-related disease.

Gaskets

Fairbanks Morse Opposed-Piston (OP) Diesel Engine Cylinder Head, Airbox & Exhaust-Manifold Gaskets

⚖ Litigation Recordc. 1938-1980sCompressed asbestos-fiber sheet gaskets and asbestos-braided packing at cylinder heads, airbox covers, exhaust manifold flanges, and turbocharger connections on Fairbanks Morse opposed-piston diesel engines; asbestos fiber release during gasket scraping, engine top-end overhaul, and exhaust manifold reseal

Fairbanks Morse — Asbestos Products …

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Overview Product Facts Trades

Litigation Record: Information below reflects allegations in publicly filed asbestos litigation — plaintiff allegations, not findings of fact.

Product Description

The Fairbanks Morse opposed-piston (OP) diesel engine — Model 38D 8-1/8 and related variants — was through World War II and the post-war decades one of the most consequential U.S. diesel engine designs. FM OP engines powered:

U.S. Navy fleet submarines (Gato, Balao, Tench classes) and post-war diesel-electric boats
Fairbanks Morse H-line and Trainmaster diesel-electric locomotives built through the 1950s
Commercial marine and industrial power-generation applications

The OP design used two crankshafts and two pistons per cylinder — with combustion between them — eliminating the conventional cylinder head. Sealing was accomplished through large compressed-asbestos-fiber gaskets at the airbox, exhaust manifold, and access covers, with asbestos-braided packing at various rotating and reciprocating interfaces.

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that Fairbanks Morse OP diesels were specified through the asbestos era with:

Compressed asbestos-fiber (CAF) gaskets at airbox covers and exhaust manifold flanges
Asbestos gaskets at scavenging blower and turbocharger connections
Asbestos-braided packing at engine control and lubrication interfaces
Asbestos exhaust-manifold and turbocharger insulation in engine-room installations

Navy machinist mates and marine machinists were allegedly exposed to respirable asbestos fibers when scraping old gasket material during top-end overhauls in the confined engine spaces of fleet submarines.

Fairbanks Morse has been named as a Manufacturer Defendant in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation.

Workers Exposed

Navy machinist mates (MM) aboard fleet submarines with FM OP propulsion
Marine machinists on commercial vessels with FM OP diesels
Locomotive shop machinists rebuilding FM H-line and Trainmaster engines
Diesel mechanics at industrial power-plant installations
Shipyard workers at submarine overhaul and repair yards

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If you or a family member worked at Fairbanks Morse Opposed-Piston Diesel and were exposed to asbestos-containing materials at this facility — and were diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease — you may be entitled to significant compensation. Time-sensitive filing deadlines apply.

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Product Facts

Trade NameFairbanks Morse Opposed-Piston (OP) Diesel Engine Cylinder Head, Airbox & Exhaust-Manifold Gaskets

ManufacturerFairbanks Morse — Asbestos Products & Litigation History

Years Producedc. 1938-1980s

Asbestos ContentCompressed asbestos-fiber sheet gaskets and asbestos-braided packing at cylinder heads, airbox covers, exhaust manifold flanges, and turbocharger connections on Fairbanks Morse opposed-piston diesel engines; asbestos fiber release during gasket scraping, engine top-end overhaul, and exhaust manifold reseal

CategoryGaskets Gaskets-Packing Marine

Trust FundNo active trust

Exposed Trades & Occupations

Navy machinist matesMarine machinistsLocomotive shop machinistsDiesel mechanics

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If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease and were exposed to asbestos-containing products, you and your family may be entitled to significant compensation through asbestos trust funds and civil litigation. An attorney experienced in product liability and asbestos claims can evaluate your case — at no cost to you.

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No attorney fee unless we make a financial recovery
Statutes of limitations may limit the time you have to act
Trust fund claims, civil lawsuits, and VA benefits pursued simultaneously

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