Garlock Sealing Technologies — operating as Garlock Inc. throughout most of its asbestos-containing product history — was one of the most extensively documented asbestos gasket and packing manufacturers in United States Navy asbestos litigation. Garlock manufactured compressed asbestos sheet gaskets, braided asbestos packing, spiral-wound gaskets with asbestos filler, and specialty sealing products used throughout Navy ship piping systems, valves, and pumps. Garlock products were formally specified under Navy Bureau of Ships (Buships) standards for steam system gasket applications, making Garlock one of the formally-approved asbestos gasket suppliers for Navy vessel construction and maintenance. Navy Machinist’s Mates and Pipefitters encountered Garlock gaskets throughout their careers — replacing Garlock compressed asbestos sheet gaskets at flanges, re-packing valve stems with Garlock braided packing, and handling Garlock products in the engineering spaces of every vessel in the fleet. Publicly filed asbestos litigation records document Garlock extensively: Navy Steam Pipe Gaskets in the Garlock context, Garlock Style 719 compressed asbestos identification, Bureau of Ships specification B-153 referencing Garlock, asbestos fiber releasability studies for Garlock products, and documented Garlock exposure aboard specific naval submarines.
Documented Asbestos — Garlock in Naval Litigation
Navy Steam Pipe Gaskets — Garlock
Buships B-153 — Navy Specification for Garlock
Garlock Style 719 — Named Compressed Asbestos Gasket
Asbestos Fiber Releasability — Garlock Products
USS G.W. Carver — Garlock Exposure
Asbestos Replacement — Garlock Gaskets
Garlock Products in Naval Applications
Compressed asbestos sheet gaskets: Garlock’s compressed asbestos sheet — including Style 719 and other grades — was the raw material from which custom flat gaskets were cut for every flange connection in Navy ship steam, fuel, cooling water, and hydraulic systems. The cutting, fitting, and scraping of Garlock compressed asbestos sheet released asbestos fiber at every maintenance interval.
Braided asbestos packing: Garlock manufactured braided asbestos compression packing used in valve stem stuffing boxes and pump mechanical seals throughout Navy ship engineering spaces. Re-packing operations — cutting new packing rings, removing old packing debris — released asbestos fiber into enclosed engineering spaces.
Spiral-wound gaskets: Garlock’s spiral-wound metal-and-asbestos gaskets were used at high-pressure steam flanges where flat gaskets could not withstand the operating conditions. These gaskets were installed and removed during boiler and steam system overhaul operations.
VA Claims and Legal Options — Garlock Sealing Technologies
Navy veterans — particularly Machinist’s Mates (MM), Boiler Technicians (BT), and Pipefitters who routinely replaced Garlock gaskets and repacked valves with Garlock packing aboard naval vessels — and shipyard workers who installed Garlock products during ship construction and overhaul, who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease, may qualify for:
- VA service connection under VA asbestos-claim guidance for veterans with documented duty in engineering spaces performing gasket and packing maintenance
- Civil claims against Garlock Sealing Technologies based on documented compressed asbestos gasket and packing use in Navy-specified applications and the documented fiber release from Garlock products
Key documents:
- DD-214 or service records — documenting naval service in engineering ratings performing valve and gasket maintenance
- Rating records — Machinist’s Mate (MM), Boiler Technician (BT), or Pipefitter with documented engineering space duty
- Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease
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Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including Navy Steam Pipe Gasket documentation in the Garlock context, Bureau of Ships specification B-153 referencing Garlock asbestos gasket materials, Garlock Style 719 compressed asbestos sheet named product identification, asbestos fiber releasability study documentation for Garlock products, and documented Garlock product exposure aboard USS George Washington Carver (SSBN-656). This does not constitute legal or medical advice.