Asbestos Packing

Asbestos packing is braided, twisted or molded material wrapped around valve stems and pump shafts to stop steam, water or other fluids from leaking. It was used for decades in ships, power plants, refineries, chemical plants and factories, and removing old, hardened packing released asbestos dust.

Origin

Asbestos packing was in common use from the late 1800s, when steam power spread and a heat-resistant seal was needed. It stayed in wide use, especially in the Navy and heavy industry, until non-asbestos packings replaced it, mostly in the 1980s.

Significance in Asbestos Context

Packing had to be replaced regularly. Workers dug out the old, baked packing with picks and pullers, cut new rings from rolls with a knife, and stuffed them into place, often in hot, enclosed engine rooms and pump rooms. Machinist's mates, boiler technicians, pipefitters, millwrights and refinery operators did this work, and others nearby were exposed too. Claims involving packing often turn on product identification and on legal questions about who is responsible: valve and pump makers have argued under the bare metal defense that they are not liable for replacement packing made by others, and the law on this differs among courts and in maritime cases. Several packing and gasket makers went bankrupt and now pay claims through trusts.

Example Sentence

On the destroyer he repacked valves almost every week, scraping out the old asbestos packing and cutting new rings from a coil.

Related Terms

Gasket, Bare Metal Defense, Machinist's Mate, Boiler Technician, Navy Veterans, Pipefitter, Garlock Sealing Technologies Trust, Product Identification

Notes

• Note the ships, plants and equipment you worked on, and any packing or valve brand names you remember.
• Navy veterans may have service and ship records that help show where packing work was done.
• Coworkers who did the same jobs can help confirm what products were used.