Gasket & Packing Asbestos Exposure
Workers often remember the pump, valve, flange, boiler or process line more clearly than the gasket or packing brand. That equipment-and-task memory can be enough to begin reconstructing an asbestos exposure history.
Remember the equipment first. The sealing product can come later
Historically, asbestos was used in some industrial gasket and packing materials because of its resistance to heat, pressure and chemicals. Exposure investigation therefore often begins with the equipment, service conditions and maintenance tasks rather than a product label.
Equipment clues
Identify where the sealing material was used.
- Pumps and pump casings
- Valves and valve stems
- Pipe flanges and process lines
- Boilers, compressors and other industrial equipment
Maintenance clues
Describe exactly how the old material was handled.
- Cutting or fitting replacement gaskets
- Scraping adhered gasket residue
- Pulling or replacing packing
- Cleaning surfaces and surrounding debris
Jobsite clues
The physical location helps reconstruct who supplied and maintained equipment.
- Powerhouses and boiler rooms
- Chemical and manufacturing plants
- Refineries and process facilities
- Commercial and institutional mechanical rooms
Memory without a brand
Other details may identify the product family.
- Sheet versus pre-cut gasket
- Braided or rope-like packing
- Color, thickness or packaging
- Coworkers, supervisors and storeroom practices
Details worth writing down now
- What pump, valve, flange or machine was being opened?
- Did you scrape old gasket material from metal surfaces?
- Did you cut new gaskets from sheet material?
- Did you remove or install braided packing?
- Where was the equipment located?
- Who supplied parts to the maintenance department?
Do not worry if some answers are incomplete. Work histories can be developed from partial memories, coworkers, employment records, jobsite information and other evidence.