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Did you work with B.F. Goodrich naval rubber hose and tubing with asbestos-cloth wrap and asbestos-fiber jacketing? According to publicly filed asbestos litigation records, it allegedly contained asbestos. Here is what it was, who was exposed, and who is responsible. B.F. Goodrich naval rubber hose and tubing with asbestos-cloth wrap and asbestos-fiber jacketing, sold from the 1940s until the 1970s. B.F. Goodrich allegedly supplied naval rubber tubing and hose jacketed with asbestos cloth for shipboard steam, fuel, and high-temperature service across the U.S. Navy fleet. Asbestos-cloth outer wrap and asbestos-fiber braided jacketing allegedly applied over B.F. Goodrich naval rubber tubing and hose supplied for shipboard steam, fuel, oil, and high-temperature service. Machinist's mates, hull technicians, and shipyard pipefitters allegedly cut back the asbestos wrap during installation, hose replacement, and clamp fitting — disturbing chrysotile cloth and releasing airborne fibers in confined shipboard spaces. Workers allegedly exposed around this product included Machinist's Mates, Hull Technicians, Shipyard Pipefitters, and Damage Controlmen. Asbestos claims are brought against the companies that made the products. If you worked with or around B.F. Goodrich naval rubber hose and tubing with asbestos-cloth wrap and asbestos-fiber jacketing and were later diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim against the manufacturer. This is educational information from an independent publisher — not a law firm — and is not legal advice.
Product Description
B.F. Goodrich (The B.F. Goodrich Company) allegedly supplied rubber hose and tubing to the U.S. Navy for shipboard steam drain, fuel-transfer, lube-oil, and other high-temperature service applications. Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that naval-service Goodrich rubber tubing was jacketed in asbestos cloth wrap or braided asbestos-fiber jacketing to provide the heat resistance, abrasion protection, and fire-envelope integrity required for use adjacent to Navy steam plants and firerooms.
The asbestos jacket protected the underlying rubber from radiant heat, spark impingement, and mechanical abrasion in engineering spaces where hoses ran through tight overheads and past hot piping. Any hose renewal, clamp adjustment, or end-fitting installation allegedly required the asbestos wrap to be cut back with a knife or shears — a task that shed dry chrysotile fibers directly into the worker’s breathing zone in the confined shipboard environment.
Workers Exposed
- Machinist’s mates (MM) installing, replacing, and inspecting shipboard hose runs on fuel, oil, and steam service.
- Hull technicians (HT) and damage controlmen (DC) cutting hose during battle-damage repair, firemain repair, and casualty control.
- Shipyard pipefitters (UA) running and replacing shipboard hose during availabilities.
- Boiler tenders (BT) working the associated systems where Goodrich hose was fitted.
Bystander exposure in tight shipboard compartments during hose cutting and clamp work was routine.