Riley Stoker Corporation — later operating as Riley Consolidated, headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts — was a manufacturer of industrial boilers, burner systems, and combustion equipment supplying both commercial and naval markets. Riley Stoker auxiliary boilers and steam generation equipment appeared at Navy shore installation heating plants and utility boiler plants, as well as in auxiliary boiler service aboard Navy surface vessels where packaged auxiliary boiler designs were used for hotel steam loads and emergency steam supply.

Asbestos in Riley Boiler Equipment

Riley Stoker boilers and steam generation equipment used asbestos insulation consistent with industrial boiler manufacturing practice:

  • Boiler casing insulation — Riley Stoker boilers used asbestos block insulation and asbestos blanket material on boiler casing exterior surfaces to control heat loss and surface temperature. Boiler maintenance, inspection, and repair work required removing and reinstalling asbestos casing insulation, releasing asbestos fiber during the removal and cutting operations
  • Firebox and furnace refractory — Riley boiler furnace and firebox refractory used asbestos-containing refractory materials in some configurations, particularly in the transition zone between the firebox and the convection sections
  • Steam drum and header insulation — asbestos pipe covering and block insulation on the steam drum, superheater headers, and steam outlet connections of Riley boiler designs
  • Burner register and windbox insulation — burner system components including windbox and air register assemblies used asbestos-containing gaskets and insulation materials at the burner-to-furnace interface

Riley Stoker boilers at Navy shore installations served as the steam source for base heating and utility steam supply at naval stations, naval air stations, and naval shipyards:

  • Boiler plant operators — Navy Utilitiesmen (UTs) and civilian maintenance personnel — operating Riley boilers in base heating plants accumulated daily exposure to the boiler room environment during boiler operation and maintenance
  • Boiler tuning, burner adjustment, and annual boiler inspection all involved work in the boiler room with disturbance of boiler insulation and associated asbestos materials

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Riley Stoker / Riley Consolidated 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 and shore facility operators who performed maintenance on Riley Stoker and other auxiliary boilers with asbestos-containing insulation and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.