Product Description
Flexitallic, the originator of the spiral wound gasket, is alleged in publicly filed asbestos litigation records to have manufactured spiral wound flange gaskets constructed from a preformed V-shaped metal strip continuously wound with a chrysotile asbestos filler ribbon. From roughly the 1920s into the 1980s, Flexitallic’s allegedly asbestos-filled spiral wound gaskets were reportedly specified on refinery, chemical-plant, power-plant, pipeline, and marine engine-room flanges — including steam headers, high-pressure hydrocarbon lines, boiler and turbine flange joints, and heat-exchanger channel covers.
Workers Exposed
Court filings allegedly describe exposure among industrial engine mechanics and pipefitters breaking out spent Flexitallic gaskets and dry-scraping flange faces, engine rebuilders reassembling exhaust and manifold flanges on large stationary engines, machine shop workers refacing flanges and handling scrap asbestos filler, marine engine mechanics working steam and diesel engine-room flanges shipboard, and gasket-set assemblers at Flexitallic winding lines who handled asbestos filler tape as raw stock.