H&S Historical Evidence Library
Boilers & Furnaces
Start with what you remember, then test the history against period-specific records. This page organizes a historical research path; it does not establish what was present at a particular workplace.
Memory clue: Boiler rooms, powerhouse equipment, furnace areas, refractory or insulation-covered equipment
Work activities worth reconstructing
- Boiler maintenance
- Insulation access/removal
- Gasket work
- Refractory/lining work
Equipment and systems that may help identify the history
Boilers
Furnaces
Heat exchangers
Steam piping
Time changes the answer
EPA materials document historical asbestos thermal insulation and gasket uses around boilers and other high-temperature equipment.
Historical sources used for this research path
- EPA — Asbestos-Containing Thermal System Insulation: Facts and Figures
- EPA — Life Cycle of Asbestos in Commercial and Industrial Use
- EPA — Asbestos NESHAP Inspection Guidance
These sources support the generic historical relationship described here. They do not establish a manufacturer, product or material at a particular New York workplace.
Continue from your memory
Tell us what you remember → Historical Evidence Library → New York Workplace Finder →