Westinghouse Electric Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was one of the two primary manufacturers — along with General Electric — of main propulsion steam turbines and ship’s service turbine generators for US Navy surface ships throughout the WWII and Cold War eras. Westinghouse supplied the propulsion turbines and reduction gears for Essex-class carriers, Midway-class carriers, many destroyer and cruiser classes, and numerous surface ship types across the Navy’s steam-powered fleet. Westinghouse turbine machinery used asbestos-containing insulation on turbine casings, steam admission sections, and exhaust piping connections as the thermal insulation standard in the WWII and early Cold War construction periods.

Westinghouse Turbine Asbestos Insulation

Westinghouse steam turbines used asbestos-containing materials in turbine construction:

  • Turbine casing insulation — Westinghouse main propulsion turbines used asbestos-containing insulation materials on the exterior of turbine casings to limit heat radiation from the hot turbine casing surfaces in the confined engineroom environment. MM ratings performing turbine maintenance removed and reinstalled the turbine casing insulation during each turbine overhaul, disturbing the asbestos-containing insulation material at each maintenance interval
  • Steam chest and valve chest insulation — the steam admission section of Westinghouse turbines — the steam chest controlling steam flow to turbine stages — used asbestos-containing insulation on the high-temperature steam chest surfaces. The steam chest insulation was disturbed during governor and steam admission valve maintenance
  • Exhaust connection insulation — the turbine exhaust connections to the main condenser used asbestos-containing gaskets at the turbine exhaust flange and asbestos insulation on the exhaust line, with gasket replacement required at each turbine maintenance interval

Ship’s Service Turbine Generator Asbestos

Westinghouse ship’s service turbine generators (SSTGs) also used asbestos:

  • SSTG turbine casing — Westinghouse ship’s service turbine generators used asbestos-containing casing insulation on the generator turbine sections in the WWII and early Cold War construction era. EM ratings performing SSTG maintenance worked on Westinghouse generators with asbestos-containing casing insulation materials

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Westinghouse Steam Turbines

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 maintenance on Westinghouse steam turbines and generators and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.