Was Elkay Manufacturing — asbestos documented in litigation?

Elkay Manufacturing — is documented in public asbestos litigation records as a manufacturer whose products contained asbestos during the mid-twentieth century. Workers in industrial facilities, power plants, refineries, shipyards, and commercial construction who handled or worked near these products may have experienced occupational exposure.

Which trades had the most exposure?

Pipe coverers and insulators, pipefitters, boilermakers, millwrights, and maintenance workers are among the trades most frequently documented in asbestos exposure claims. Workers who cut, fitted, or removed asbestos-containing products — and those working in close proximity during that work — typically had the highest fiber concentrations.

How long do workers have to file an asbestos claim?

Statutes of limitations for asbestos personal injury claims vary by state, typically ranging from one to five years from the date of an asbestos-related diagnosis. The clock generally starts at diagnosis, not exposure — mesothelioma can have a latency period of 20 to 50 years. An asbestos attorney can identify the deadlines that apply to your specific situation.

Can workers file claims related to Elkay Manufacturing — asbestos exposure?

Yes. Workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis after exposure to Elkay Manufacturing — products may pursue claims through civil litigation. An experienced asbestos attorney can assess available defendants, applicable trust funds from co-defendants, and the states where claims can be filed most effectively.

Can family members file secondary exposure claims?

Spouses, children, and household members who developed asbestos-related disease through contact with contaminated work clothing brought home by an exposed worker may be eligible for secondary (household) exposure claims. Wrongful-death claims can also be filed by surviving family members of workers who died from asbestos-related disease.

Gaskets

Elkay Manufacturing Company stainless-steel sinks, drinking fountains, water coolers, refrigerated water coolers, and related plumbing/fixture products

⚖ Litigation Recordcirca 1950s-1980sPlaintiffs alleged that Elkay Manufacturing refrigerated water coolers, drinking fountains, and stainless-steel sink assemblies incorporated asbestos-containing compressor gaskets, tank-liner insulation, faucet washers, and drain gaskets in older refrigerated water-cooler cabinets; plumbers, refrigeration mechanics, and institutional maintenance workers were allegedly exposed during installation, compressor service, and tear-out.

Overview Product Facts Trades

Litigation Record: Information below reflects allegations in publicly filed asbestos litigation — plaintiff allegations, not findings of fact.

Product Description

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that Elkay Manufacturing Company (founded 1920, headquartered in the Chicago area — Broadview / Oak Brook IL) was the dominant U.S. manufacturer of stainless-steel sinks, drinking fountains, and refrigerated water coolers for residential, school, hospital, commercial, and light-industrial installations. Elkay’s water-cooler and drinking-fountain product lines were installed by the millions in mid-twentieth-century American schools, hospitals, factories, courthouses, and public buildings.

Plaintiffs alleged that Elkay products used asbestos-containing components in the following ways:

Refrigerated water coolers and drinking fountains allegedly incorporated asbestos-containing compressor gaskets, tank-liner insulation, thermal insulation around cold-water storage tanks, and asbestos-fiber gasket washers at plumbing connections
Older commercial and institutional water coolers allegedly used asbestos-containing insulation between the refrigeration cabinet and the potable-water storage tank
Stainless-steel sink drain assemblies and faucet trim allegedly used asbestos-fiber gasket and washer material at plumbing connections in the era before asbestos-free gasket substitutes were standard
Refrigeration compressor service parts on Elkay-branded coolers allegedly included asbestos-containing head gaskets, valve-plate gaskets, and thermal insulation

Workers Exposed

Plaintiffs alleged that the following trades faced asbestos exposure from Elkay products:

Plumbers installing Elkay drinking fountains, water coolers, and stainless-steel sinks with asbestos-containing plumbing gaskets and washers
Refrigeration mechanics servicing Elkay refrigerated water-cooler compressors, replacing asbestos head and valve-plate gaskets, and disturbing tank-liner insulation
Institutional maintenance mechanics at schools, hospitals, and government buildings performing routine repair and tear-out on Elkay water coolers and drinking fountains
HVAC mechanics servicing refrigeration components in older Elkay coolers

If You Worked With Elkay Manufacturing Products

If you or a family member installed, serviced, or tore out Elkay drinking fountains, refrigerated water coolers, or stainless-steel sinks — particularly in schools, hospitals, factories, or government buildings — and were exposed to gaskets, tank-liner insulation, or compressor components, you may have a claim.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

Product Facts

Trade NameElkay Manufacturing Company stainless-steel sinks, drinking fountains, water coolers, refrigerated water coolers, and related plumbing/fixture products

Years Producedcirca 1950s-1980s

Asbestos ContentPlaintiffs alleged that Elkay Manufacturing refrigerated water coolers, drinking fountains, and stainless-steel sink assemblies incorporated asbestos-containing compressor gaskets, tank-liner insulation, faucet washers, and drain gaskets in older refrigerated water-cooler cabinets; plumbers, refrigeration mechanics, and institutional maintenance workers were allegedly exposed during installation, compressor service, and tear-out.

CategoryGaskets Hvac-Equipment

Trust FundNo active trust

Exposed Trades & Occupations

PlumbersRefrigeration MechanicsMaintenance MechanicsHVAC Mechanics

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Were You Exposed to an Asbestos-Containing Product?

If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease and were exposed to asbestos-containing products, you and your family may be entitled to significant compensation through asbestos trust funds and civil litigation. An attorney experienced in product liability and asbestos claims can evaluate your case — at no cost to you.

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No attorney fee unless we make a financial recovery
Statutes of limitations may limit the time you have to act
Trust fund claims, civil lawsuits, and VA benefits pursued simultaneously

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Asbestos Product Liability & Mesothelioma Claims

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