Buffalo Forge Company, headquartered in Buffalo, New York, was a major manufacturer of industrial fans, centrifugal blowers, and forced draft blowers for steam power plant boiler combustion air supply applications throughout the mid-twentieth century. Buffalo Forge forced draft blowers were installed in United States Navy steam propulsion plant firerooms as the forced draft fans supplying combustion air to steam boiler furnaces aboard destroyers, cruisers, and auxiliary ships. Buffalo Forge blowers provided the pressurized combustion air required for proper fuel oil combustion in Navy steam boilers, with boiler performance and steaming rate directly dependent on the forced draft blower capacity. According to asbestos litigation records, Buffalo Forge forced draft blower assemblies incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at blower housing flange faces and at blower casing cover connections, creating exposure for Machinist’s Mates and Boilermen who maintained forced draft blower equipment in naval vessel firerooms during boiler and blower maintenance operations.

Buffalo Forge Forced Draft Blower Asbestos

Buffalo Forge blower assemblies incorporated asbestos in housing and casing sealing:

  • Blower housing casing cover gaskets — Buffalo Forge forced draft blower housings incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at blower housing cover flanges and blower casing access cover faces. Boilermen and Machinist’s Mates removing Buffalo Forge blower housing covers for impeller inspection, bearing maintenance, or blower cleaning encountered and replaced the asbestos-containing housing cover gasket materials during each blower maintenance access operation
  • Blower inlet and discharge flange gaskets — the inlet and discharge connection flanges on Buffalo Forge forced draft blowers incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the blower connection faces. Machinist’s Mates and Boilermen disconnecting Buffalo Forge blowers from the fireroom ducting system for blower removal or maintenance encountered asbestos-containing flange gasket materials at each blower connection
  • Blower shaft bearing housing seal materials — Buffalo Forge forced draft blower shaft bearing housings incorporated sealing materials at bearing housing end plates and bearing retainer covers consistent with the blower manufacturing specifications of the period. Machinist’s Mates performing Buffalo Forge blower bearing replacement operations encountered bearing housing sealing materials during blower bearing maintenance

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Buffalo Forge Products

VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims on a case-by-case basis. Veterans generally need evidence of in-service asbestos exposure, a current asbestos-related diagnosis, and a medical link between them. Boilermen and Machinist’s Mates who maintained Buffalo Forge blower installations in naval vessel firerooms and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.