Storage Tanks — Asbestos Exposure Crosswalk
What This Equipment Is
Industrial storage tanks hold petroleum products, chemicals, process intermediates, water, and other fluids in industrial and utility settings. They range in size from small process surge tanks (a few hundred gallons) to massive crude oil storage tanks (millions of gallons). Where the contents need to stay hot, stay cold, or be protected from fire, asbestos-containing insulation, fireproofing, and gasket materials were standard from the early 1900s through the 1980s.
Storage tanks are present in:
- Petroleum refineries and tank farms — crude oil, intermediate products, finished gasoline, aviation fuel
- Chemical plants — feedstock, intermediate, and product storage; phenol and formaldehyde tanks at phenolic resin plants
- Power plants — fuel oil and feedwater storage; boiler-water makeup
- Paper mills — black liquor, white liquor, green liquor; pulp slurry tanks
- Breweries and distilleries — wort, beer, and grain storage
- Hospitals and institutional facilities — fuel oil and water-heater storage
- Naval and shipyard fuel handling — fuel oil and water tanks aboard ships and in shore-based storage
Asbestos Products Historically Used at Storage Tanks
| Product Category | Where Used | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Block insulation | Heated tank exteriors | Calcium silicate or 85% magnesia |
| Spray-applied fireproofing | Structural steel supports beneath tanks | Asbestos-bearing fireproofing |
| Cladding panels | Outer tank protection | Asbestos cement board, transite |
| Gaskets | Manway covers, flanged nozzles | Sheet, spiral wound, ring |
| Packing | Valve stems on tank piping | Braided asbestos rope |
| Pipe insulation | Steam-tracing and heated transfer lines | Calcium silicate, magnesia |
| Roof insulation | Heated tank covers and floating roofs | Block or blanket |
| Tank-bottom seals | Floating-roof tank seal systems | Some grades contained asbestos |
Manufacturers Named in Storage-Tank Litigation
Public asbestos litigation records identify these companies in cases involving storage-tank insulation, fireproofing, and gaskets:
Tank manufacturers (named for installation, maintenance, and supplied-with-asbestos claims):
- Pittsburgh Tank
- Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I)
- Trinity Industries
- Combustion Engineering — large tank fabrication
Insulation manufacturers:
- Johns-Manville — block, pipe covering, transite
- Owens-Corning / Fibreboard — calcium silicate insulation
- Pittsburgh Corning — Unibestos
- Eagle-Picher — block insulation
- Armstrong World Industries
Fireproofing manufacturers:
- W.R. Grace — spray fireproofing (Monokote variants)
- U.S. Mineral Products — Cafco fireproofing
- National Gypsum
Gaskets and packing:
- Garlock Sealing Technologies
- John Crane Inc.
- Flexitallic
Trust Funds That May Apply
- Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust
- Owens-Corning / Fibreboard Asbestos Personal Injury Trust
- Pittsburgh Corning Corporation Asbestos PI Trust
- Eagle-Picher Industries Personal Injury Settlement Trust
- W.R. Grace Asbestos PI Settlement Trust
- Armstrong World Industries Asbestos PI Settlement Trust
See full trust-fund directory →
Trades Most Exposed at Storage Tanks
- Heat & Frost Insulators (Local #1) — primary trade for tank insulation installation and removal
- Pipefitters & Steamfitters — tank piping and steam-tracing
- Boilermakers — tank fabrication, welding, and inspection
- Painters and Tapers — fireproofing application and tank coating
- Sheet Metal Workers — outer cladding installation
- Maintenance Mechanics — gasket replacement, valve repacking, valve work
- Welders — tank-bottom and shell weld repair
- Laborers — insulation tear-out during tank cleanings and inspections
Tank cleaning and entry work — done periodically for inspection and maintenance — required disturbing the insulation around the tank to access the shell, which historically produced concentrated fiber release.
Jobsites in the Network Documenting Storage Tanks
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery — St. Louis, Missouri — wort, beer, and grain storage
- Phenolic resin plants — phenol and formaldehyde storage tanks
- Power and industrial facilities — fuel oil and process tank storage across the network
Compiled from publicly filed asbestos litigation records, EPA NESHAP filings, state-DNR records, and industry-publication histories. Product identifications and company references reflect what has been alleged or documented in publicly filed litigation. This page does not constitute a finding of liability against any company. This information is not legal advice; consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.