Zurn Steam Traps and Specialties

Product Description

Zurn Industries was a diversified industrial manufacturer whose product lines included a broad range of steam system components marketed to industrial, commercial, and institutional customers throughout the United States. Among its offerings, Zurn produced steam traps and steam specialties — devices used throughout industrial piping systems to remove condensate, air, and non-condensable gases from steam lines while preventing live steam from escaping. These components were fundamental to the efficient and safe operation of steam-driven systems in manufacturing plants, refineries, chemical facilities, power generation stations, hospitals, and large commercial buildings.

Steam traps and related specialties served critical roles in industrial infrastructure. They regulated pressure differentials, prevented water hammer, and protected downstream equipment from the corrosive effects of accumulated condensate. Because steam systems operate under sustained heat and pressure, the components connecting and sealing these devices — including valve packing, gaskets, and insulating materials — required materials capable of withstanding extreme thermal conditions. For much of the twentieth century, asbestos-containing materials were the industry standard for meeting those requirements.

Zurn Industries operated across multiple business segments, and its steam trap and specialty products were sold and installed across a wide range of industrial environments over several decades. The company’s products were distributed nationally, meaning that facilities of virtually every industrial category across the country may have incorporated Zurn steam traps and related components into their steam infrastructure.

Asbestos Content

Zurn steam traps and specialties incorporated asbestos-containing materials in several functional components. Asbestos was valued in steam system applications for its resistance to high temperatures, its ability to maintain structural integrity under repeated thermal cycling, and its effectiveness as a sealing and insulating material. In steam trap applications, asbestos was commonly present in:

  • Valve seat packing and stem packing, which required materials capable of forming reliable seals at sustained operating temperatures and pressures
  • Gaskets, used at connection points throughout the trap body and associated piping flanges to prevent steam and condensate leakage
  • Insulating materials, applied to trap bodies and associated fittings to reduce heat loss and protect workers from contact burns
  • Internal sealing components, which maintained the differential pressure function of the trap during normal operation

The presence of asbestos in these components reflected widespread industry practice during the period when Zurn’s steam trap products were manufactured and sold. Chrysotile, amosite, and other regulated asbestos fiber types were incorporated into gasket sheets, braided packing, and formed insulation products that were either built into the traps at the factory or applied during installation and maintenance in the field.

How Workers Were Exposed

Workers encountered asbestos from Zurn steam traps and specialties at multiple points across the lifecycle of these products — during initial installation, routine maintenance, repair, and eventual removal or replacement. The nature of steam trap maintenance is particularly significant from an exposure standpoint: steam traps are mechanical devices subject to wear and failure, meaning they require periodic inspection, disassembly, repacking, and replacement on an ongoing basis throughout the operational life of a steam system.

Industrial workers generally were among those most commonly exposed. This broad category encompasses a range of tradespeople and plant personnel who worked in environments where steam systems were present and active. Specific exposure pathways included:

  • Installation: Workers cutting, fitting, and threading steam trap connections disturbed gasket and packing materials, releasing asbestos fibers into the breathing zone.
  • Repacking and maintenance: Removing worn stem packing from trap valves and replacing it with new asbestos packing required direct handling of fibrous materials, often in confined mechanical spaces with limited ventilation.
  • Gasket removal: Breaking flange connections on steam traps and strainers required scraping or cutting old gaskets, a task that could release significant quantities of respirable asbestos fibers.
  • Insulation work: Removing or reapplying insulation to trap bodies and adjacent piping exposed workers to asbestos dust, particularly when insulation was dry, friable, or mechanically disturbed.
  • Incidental exposure: Workers in proximity to ongoing steam trap maintenance — including other tradespeople, helpers, and plant laborers — were exposed to asbestos released by nearby repair activities even when not directly performing the work themselves.

Steam traps were installed in large numbers throughout industrial facilities, and their maintenance was often performed in environments such as boiler rooms, pipe chases, and process areas where ventilation was limited. These conditions contributed to potentially elevated fiber concentrations during maintenance tasks.

The latency period for asbestos-related diseases — which can range from ten to fifty years or more following initial exposure — means that individuals exposed to Zurn steam trap components decades ago may be developing or receiving diagnoses of asbestos-related illness today. Diseases documented in connection with occupational asbestos exposure include mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease.

Zurn Industries established the Zurn Industries Asbestos Settlement Trust to resolve asbestos-related personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from its products, including its steam traps and steam specialties. This trust was created through a structured settlement process and operates under defined criteria for evaluating and paying eligible claims.

Trust Filing Eligibility

Individuals who were exposed to Zurn steam traps or other asbestos-containing Zurn products and who have been diagnosed with a qualifying asbestos-related disease may be eligible to file a claim with the Zurn Industries Asbestos Settlement Trust. Eligible claimants are generally required to demonstrate:

  • A qualifying diagnosis, which typically includes mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or other asbestos-related conditions recognized by the trust’s disease criteria
  • Documented exposure to Zurn asbestos-containing products during the applicable exposure period
  • A nexus between the diagnosed condition and the asbestos exposure, typically supported by medical and occupational records

Typical Claim Categories

The Zurn Industries Asbestos Settlement Trust generally processes claims across standard disease categories, including:

  • Mesothelioma (malignant pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial)
  • Lung cancer with qualifying asbestos exposure history
  • Asbestosis meeting defined medical criteria
  • Other asbestos-related nonmalignant conditions such as pleural plaques or pleural thickening, subject to the trust’s applicable criteria

Next Steps

Workers and family members with potential claims should consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos trust fund litigation. Supporting documentation typically includes employment records, Social Security earnings histories, medical records confirming diagnosis, and product identification evidence connecting the claimant to Zurn steam traps or related products. Trust claims are processed independently of civil litigation, and claimants may have rights against multiple trusts or additional defendants depending on the full scope of their documented asbestos exposures.

This article is provided for informational and reference purposes only. It is not legal advice. Individuals seeking guidance on potential asbestos claims should consult a qualified asbestos litigation attorney.