Flexitallic Gaskets
Product Description
Flexitallic gaskets were industrial sealing products manufactured under the Flexitallic brand, which operated as a division associated with Federal-Mogul. The Flexitallic name became widely recognized in industrial settings as a producer of spiral-wound and flat-sheet gaskets designed for use in high-temperature, high-pressure piping systems, flanged connections, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, and related equipment.
These gaskets were engineered for demanding process environments where conventional sealing materials could not withstand extreme operational conditions. Industries that relied heavily on Flexitallic gaskets included petroleum refining, petrochemical processing, power generation, pulp and paper manufacturing, and heavy industrial production. Because these sectors operated continuously for decades with substantial capital infrastructure, Flexitallic gaskets were installed throughout enormous volumes of piping systems, equipment flanges, and pressure-rated connections across the United States and internationally.
The gaskets were regarded by engineers and maintenance personnel as reliable, long-lasting sealing solutions. Their durability under heat and chemical exposure made them a preferred choice for specifying engineers and procurement departments throughout much of the twentieth century. As a result, Flexitallic products were distributed through industrial supply networks and found their way into a wide variety of job sites, plants, and facilities.
Asbestos Content
For a significant portion of their production history, Flexitallic gaskets contained asbestos as a primary constituent material. Asbestos was incorporated into gasket manufacturing because of its exceptional heat resistance, compressibility, and chemical stability — properties that made it functionally ideal for high-temperature industrial sealing applications.
In spiral-wound gaskets, asbestos-containing filler materials were wound together with metal strips, typically stainless steel, to form the sealing element. In sheet and ring gaskets, compressed asbestos fiber sheets were fabricated to precise dimensions for specific flange configurations. Both product types could release asbestos fibers under the mechanical stresses of installation, removal, and general handling.
Litigation records document that plaintiffs identified Flexitallic gaskets as a source of asbestos exposure in industrial and refinery environments. The use of asbestos in industrial gasket manufacturing was widespread throughout the mid-twentieth century, and regulatory attention to asbestos in friction, sealing, and packing products increased substantially through the 1970s and 1980s under frameworks established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). OSHA’s asbestos standards, developed and updated through this period, recognized that gasket removal and installation activities could generate airborne asbestos fiber concentrations.
Over time, asbestos was phased out of gasket manufacturing as manufacturers reformulated products using alternative fiber and filler technologies. However, gaskets installed prior to those reformulations may remain in place in legacy industrial infrastructure, creating potential for ongoing exposure during maintenance and repair activities.
How Workers Were Exposed
Industrial workers encountered Flexitallic gaskets throughout the normal cycle of equipment installation, maintenance, shutdown work, and overhaul activity. Exposure pathways were documented across several stages of gasket handling.
Installation: Workers cutting, trimming, or fitting gaskets to flange dimensions disturbed asbestos-containing materials mechanically, releasing fibers into the breathing zone. Gaskets were often cut from larger sheet stock or trimmed to fit, operations that generated visible dust.
Removal: Gasket removal during maintenance or equipment repair frequently required scraping or grinding hardened, compressed gasket material from metal flange surfaces. Plaintiffs alleged that this scraping process — performed with hand tools, wire brushes, and powered grinding equipment — created significant dust containing asbestos fibers. Gasket removal was identified in litigation records as among the more intensive exposure activities associated with this product category.
Proximity work: Workers performing tasks near gasket installation or removal operations, including pipefitters, boilermakers, insulators, and general industrial laborers, could be exposed to airborne fibers generated by nearby workers even if they were not directly handling gaskets themselves.
Confined space and enclosed environments: Refinery and plant environments often required gasket work in confined or poorly ventilated spaces such as vessels, pipe chases, and equipment rooms. Litigation records document plaintiffs’ claims that such conditions concentrated airborne asbestos fibers and extended exposure duration.
Trades and occupations identified in connection with Flexitallic gasket exposure include industrial pipefitters, millwrights, maintenance mechanics, refinery workers, boilermakers, insulation workers, and general industrial laborers. Workers in petroleum refining and petrochemical facilities are frequently represented in litigation involving this product, given the density of flanged piping and process equipment in those environments.
Bystander exposure was also alleged in litigation. Workers who did not directly handle gaskets but worked in shared plant areas where gasket work was being performed were identified as potentially exposed individuals in documented claims.
Documented Trust Fund / Legal Options
Flexitallic gaskets fall into Tier 2 of asbestos litigation. No dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund has been established specifically for Flexitallic gasket claims under the Federal-Mogul corporate structure that would cover this product line under the same parameters as products covered by the Federal-Mogul Asbestos Personal Injury Trust.
Note for claimants: Federal-Mogul Corporation filed for bankruptcy reorganization in 2001, and the Federal-Mogul Asbestos Personal Injury Trust was established under a confirmed reorganization plan to address claims related to certain Federal-Mogul products. Individuals with potential claims involving Flexitallic-branded products should consult with a qualified asbestos attorney to determine whether their specific exposure circumstances and product identification may qualify under any trust filing criteria or whether litigation against successor entities or other responsible parties is the appropriate avenue.
Litigation records document that claims involving Flexitallic gaskets have been pursued in civil asbestos litigation. Plaintiffs alleged that manufacturers and distributors of asbestos-containing gaskets knew or should have known of the hazards associated with asbestos exposure and failed to provide adequate warnings to workers who used and handled these products.
Available legal remedies may include:
- Civil asbestos litigation against manufacturers, distributors, or premises owners in jurisdictions with active asbestos dockets
- Trust fund claims through funds established by other manufacturers or distributors whose products were used alongside Flexitallic gaskets in the same work environments
- Workers’ compensation claims in applicable jurisdictions
- Veterans’ benefits for workers who encountered these products during military service in naval or industrial settings
Individuals who worked in refineries, petrochemical plants, power plants, or other heavy industrial facilities and handled or worked near Flexitallic gaskets should document their work history in detail, including job sites, employers, time periods, and specific tasks performed. This documentation is foundational to evaluating legal options.
Diseases associated with occupational asbestos exposure include mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease. Individuals with a diagnosed asbestos-related disease and a documented history of industrial gasket work are encouraged to consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation to evaluate potential claims.