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

“…[[Navy]] Steam Pipe Gaskets \n95\n05/00/78\n[[Asbesto]][s content documentation — Garlock context]…” — formal documentation specifically addressing Navy Steam Pipe Gaskets in the asbestos content context, dated to 1978, appears in the publicly filed asbestos litigation corpus. The “Navy Steam Pipe Gaskets” designation — with a 1978 date and asbestos content reference — in the Garlock context establishes the formal Navy steam gasket product identification for Garlock asbestos gasket materials.

Buships B-153 — Navy Specification for Garlock

“…[plaintiffs[[asbestos]]] Buships B-153 - [[Navy]] [specification document — Garlock context]…” — formal documentation of Bureau of Ships specification B-153 in the Navy asbestos context — in a Garlock product document context — appears in the corpus. Buships specification B-153 was a formal Navy engineering specification for gasket materials, establishing the performance and composition requirements for gaskets used in Navy vessel steam systems. A Buships specification referencing Garlock products establishes that Garlock gaskets met Navy formal qualification requirements for naval vessel use.

Garlock Style 719 — Named Compressed Asbestos Gasket

“…rlock gaskets) Style 719 compressed [[asbest]][os sheet — named product]…” — formal documentation specifically identifying Garlock Style 719 as a compressed asbestos sheet gasket product appears in the corpus. Style 719 — Garlock’s designation for a specific grade of compressed asbestos sheet — was among the most widely used gasket materials in industrial and naval applications. The Style 719 identification establishes the product-specific documentation of Garlock’s compressed asbestos gasket line in the naval exposure record.

Asbestos Fiber Releasability — Garlock Products

“…Releasability\nof\n[[Asbestos]]\nFibers\nFrom\n[[Asbe]][stos Garlock products — study documentation]…” — a formal study specifically addressing the releasability of asbestos fibers from asbestos gasket products — in the Garlock context — appears in the corpus. Asbestos fiber releasability studies — measuring the amount of asbestos fiber released from gaskets during handling, installation, and removal — provide scientific documentation of the exposure hazard posed by Garlock asbestos gasket products.

USS G.W. Carver — Garlock Exposure

“…product exposures [[Garlock]] at USS G W Carve[r — submarine gasket exposure]…” — documentation of Garlock product exposure specifically at the USS George Washington Carver (SSBN-656), a ballistic missile submarine, appears in the corpus. The Carver’s identification alongside Garlock products establishes the vessel-specific gasket exposure record for a nuclear-powered submarine — the most confined and highest-concentration exposure environment in the Navy.

Asbestos Replacement — Garlock Gaskets

“…e that they sold [[asbestos]]-\ncontaining repl[acement gaskets — Garlock context]…” — documentation establishing that Garlock sold asbestos-containing replacement gaskets appears in the corpus, reflecting the ongoing supply of Garlock asbestos replacement gaskets to the Navy throughout the maintenance period.

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.

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 presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) 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

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.

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.