Zurn Industries and Asbestos-Containing Boilers: Exposure History and Trust Fund Information

Zurn Industries was an American industrial manufacturer that produced boilers and related heating equipment used extensively on commercial, industrial, and institutional jobsites across the United States from the mid-twentieth century through the early 1980s. Workers who installed, operated, or maintained Zurn boilers during this period may have encountered asbestos-containing materials incorporated into the equipment at the point of manufacture. Zurn Industries has an active asbestos personal injury trust, making it possible for eligible claimants to seek compensation without filing a lawsuit.

Company History

Zurn Industries operated as a diversified industrial manufacturer with product lines spanning heating systems, boilers, and related mechanical equipment. The company supplied boilers to a wide range of markets, including power generation facilities, manufacturing plants, hospitals, schools, commercial buildings, and shipyards. Like many industrial equipment manufacturers of the era, Zurn Industries incorporated asbestos into its boiler products during a period when the material was considered an industry-standard solution for high-temperature insulation and fire resistance.

Asbestos use in boiler manufacturing was widespread from the 1940s through the late 1970s. Regulatory pressure, growing medical evidence linking asbestos exposure to serious disease, and evolving industry standards led most manufacturers — including Zurn Industries — to phase out asbestos-containing materials in their products by the early 1980s. Equipment manufactured before this transition, however, remained in service on many jobsites for decades afterward, meaning exposure risks persisted well beyond the point of manufacture.

Asbestos-Containing Products

Zurn Industries manufactured boilers that contained asbestos as a functional component of the equipment design. Asbestos was used in boiler manufacturing for several specific applications, each reflecting the material’s heat-resistant and insulating properties.

Boiler Insulation and Lagging The external surfaces and internal chambers of industrial boilers required heavy insulation to retain heat and protect workers from extreme surface temperatures. Asbestos-containing block insulation, blanket insulation, and lagging materials were commonly applied to Zurn boilers at the factory and were also used during field installation and repair work. These materials could release asbestos fibers when cut, fitted, removed, or disturbed during maintenance.

Boiler Gaskets High-temperature gaskets used in boiler access panels, manholes, handhole covers, and pipe connections were frequently manufactured from compressed asbestos fiber materials. Zurn boilers used gaskets at multiple points throughout the equipment, and these components required periodic replacement during routine maintenance cycles. Removing old gaskets — through scraping, grinding, or wire-brushing — was a common source of asbestos fiber release.

Boiler Packing and Seals Rope packing and valve stem packing used in and around Zurn boiler systems were frequently manufactured from braided asbestos fiber. This packing material was used to create heat-resistant seals at valve stems, pump shafts, and other moving components. Like gaskets, packing materials were subject to regular replacement and could release fibers during removal.

Refractory and Combustion Chamber Materials The fireboxes and combustion chambers of industrial boilers were lined with refractory materials designed to withstand the extreme temperatures generated during operation. Some refractory products used in Zurn boiler construction during this period contained asbestos as a binding or reinforcing agent. Disturbing these linings during inspection, repair, or boiler replacement work created the potential for significant fiber release.

It is important to note that asbestos-containing replacement parts, including gaskets, packing, and insulation, were also supplied as aftermarket components and may have been installed on Zurn boilers during the service life of the equipment, regardless of the original specifications.

Occupational Exposure

Workers across a broad range of trades and industries encountered Zurn boilers in settings where asbestos exposure was a recurring occupational hazard. The following groups are among those most commonly documented in exposure histories related to Zurn boiler equipment:

Boilermakers bore the most direct exposure risk, performing installation, inspection, repair, and replacement work on Zurn boilers in industrial and commercial settings. Cutting, fitting, and removing asbestos insulation and gasket materials were routine parts of the trade during the era when asbestos use was prevalent.

Pipefitters and Steamfitters worked in close proximity to boiler systems, connecting and maintaining the pipe networks, valves, and steam distribution systems associated with Zurn equipment. Their work frequently required handling or disturbing asbestos-containing packing and insulation materials.

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators maintained and operated Zurn boilers over extended periods in power plants, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, and large commercial buildings. Routine maintenance tasks — including gasket replacement and valve repacking — brought these workers into regular contact with asbestos-containing components.

Industrial Insulators applied and removed asbestos insulation on boilers and associated piping systems. This trade had among the highest documented rates of asbestos exposure of any construction or maintenance occupation during the period when Zurn boilers were in widespread use.

Maintenance and Facility Workers employed at factories, schools, hospitals, and other institutions where Zurn boilers were installed sometimes performed maintenance work themselves or worked nearby during boiler service operations conducted by outside contractors.

Shipyard Workers at facilities where Zurn boilers were installed in vessels or shore-based heating systems also encountered asbestos-containing components during installation and repair work.

The risk of asbestos-related disease is directly related to the frequency, duration, and intensity of fiber exposure. Workers who regularly worked with or around Zurn boilers during the period of asbestos use — particularly boilermakers, insulators, and pipefitters — faced repeated exposure that is documented in asbestos litigation records.

Diseases associated with occupational asbestos exposure include mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease. These conditions typically have latency periods of 20 to 50 years between exposure and diagnosis, meaning workers exposed to Zurn boiler asbestos in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s may only now be receiving diagnoses.

Zurn Industries has an active asbestos personal injury trust established to compensate individuals who were exposed to asbestos-containing Zurn products and subsequently developed a related disease. The existence of this trust means that eligible claimants can pursue compensation through an administrative claims process rather than through litigation.

How Trust Funds Work Asbestos personal injury trusts were created as part of bankruptcy reorganization proceedings to ensure that current and future claimants retain access to compensation even after the responsible company restructures or is dissolved. Claimants submit documentation of their exposure history and medical diagnosis to the trust, which evaluates the claim according to established criteria and schedules of payment.

Who May Be Eligible Individuals who were diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease and who have a documented history of exposure to Zurn Industries boilers or related products may be eligible to file a claim with the Zurn asbestos trust. Surviving family members may also have standing to file claims on behalf of a deceased individual who suffered from an asbestos-related illness.

What Documentation Is Typically Required Trust claims generally require documentation supporting both the medical diagnosis and the exposure history. Medical records confirming a qualifying diagnosis are a foundational requirement. Exposure documentation may include work history records, employment verification, union records, coworker testimony, or other evidence placing the claimant in proximity to Zurn asbestos-containing products during the covered period.

Filing a Claim Because trust claim procedures, payment schedules, and documentation requirements can be specific and time-sensitive, individuals considering a claim against the Zurn asbestos trust are strongly advised to consult with an attorney who has experience handling asbestos trust claims. An experienced attorney can assist with locating exposure documentation, preparing the required materials, and submitting the claim in accordance with the trust’s current procedures.

Other Legal Options In some circumstances, workers exposed to Zurn boilers may also have claims against other manufacturers whose products — including asbestos-containing gaskets, insulation, or packing — were used in conjunction with Zurn equipment. An asbestos attorney can evaluate the full scope of a claimant’s exposure history to identify all potentially responsible parties.

Summary

Zurn Industries manufactured boilers containing asbestos insulation, gaskets, packing, and refractory materials that were used on American jobsites from the mid-twentieth century through approximately the early 1980s. Workers in the boilermaking, pipefitting, insulating, and stationary engineering trades faced repeated asbestos exposure during the installation, operation, and maintenance of this equipment. Zurn Industries has an active asbestos personal injury trust, and individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or related conditions who have a history of working with or around Zurn boilers may be eligible to file a trust claim. Consulting with an attorney experienced in asbestos trust claims is the most effective way to evaluate eligibility and pursue compensation.