Dresser Industries, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, was a diversified industrial manufacturer with multiple product divisions supplying the US Navy with valves, pressure instruments, safety valves, and compressor equipment throughout World War II and the Cold War. Dresser operated product divisions including Masoneilan (control valves and pressure regulators), Wacker (safety valves and pressure relief equipment), and other industrial product lines — all of which used asbestos-containing sealing materials in the steam service products supplied to the Navy fleet.

Masoneilan Control Valves and Pressure Regulators

Dresser’s Masoneilan division supplied control valves and pressure regulators to the Navy for steam plant pressure control and flow regulation applications:

  • Control valve stem packing — Masoneilan control valves used asbestos braided packing in the valve stem stuffing box as standard sealing material on steam service valves, requiring periodic adjustment and replacement by Machinist’s Mates during valve maintenance
  • Valve bonnet gaskets — asbestos sheet or spiral wound gaskets sealing the valve bonnet to the valve body on Masoneilan control valves, disturbed during valve bonnet removal for internal maintenance
  • Actuator diaphragm gaskets — pneumatically actuated Masoneilan control valves used asbestos-containing gaskets at actuator housing connections on some actuator designs

Safety Valves and Pressure Relief Equipment

Dresser’s Wacker division supplied safety valves and pressure relief valves for Navy steam plant over-pressure protection:

  • Safety valve body gaskets — asbestos sheet or spiral wound gaskets sealing the valve body and nozzle flanges on steam service safety valves
  • Safety valve disc and seat materials — some Dresser safety valve designs used asbestos-containing disc and seat materials in the valve internals providing the sealing function during valve closure

Pressure Instrument Connections

Dresser supplied pressure gauges, pressure transmitters, and other pressure instruments to the Navy in which asbestos-containing connection gaskets were present at the instrument-to-process connection points in steam service.

Asbestos Litigation Record

Dresser Industries and its product divisions — particularly Masoneilan — appear in asbestos litigation filed by Navy veterans documenting exposure from valve and pressure instrument maintenance. The litigation record covers Dresser’s Navy supply relationships and the asbestos-containing components in their valve product lines.

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Dresser Industries 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. Engineering ratings who performed control valve and safety valve maintenance involving asbestos packing and gaskets and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.