H&S Historical Evidence Library
Packing
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: Braided or rope-like packing around pump shafts or valve stems
Work activities worth reconstructing
- Pulling old packing
- Repacking pumps
- Repacking valves
- Cleaning packing boxes and surrounding debris
Equipment and systems that may help identify the history
Rotary, centrifugal and reciprocating pumps
Valves
Expansion joints
Soot blowers
Time changes the answer
EPA historical reports document asbestos packing in mechanical equipment; the actual material and date must be established for the individual history.
Historical sources used for this research path
- EPA — List of Uses Covered under April 2019 Final Rule
- EPA — Life Cycle of Asbestos in Commercial and Industrial Use
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 →