The Insurance Industry and Asbestos

Travelers and Boilers 1924

Excerpts from the 7th edition of the Travelers Indemnity book, Boiler Economy:

From the Preface:

The Travelers Indemnity Company employs a large force of expert inspectors, whose knowledge and experience are always at the command of our assured; and the services that these men render are worth far more than the cost of the insurance. Problems that require special study, and call for more time and consideration than any individual visiting inspector can devote to them, are laid before the staff of the Engineering and Inspection Division of the Company, at its Home office in Hartford, Connecticut...

The facilities of the Travelers Engineering and Inspection Division are broad and complete in every respect. Engineers of national reputation are at its head, and under their direction expert services of every needful kind are rendered by well organized departments, in charge of competent men who are admitted authorities in their own special lines.

For patrons who contemplate putting in new boilers, or changing their present boiler plants in other ways, The Travelers is prepared to furnish practical specifications and plans, showing the most improved designs, and the best methods for executing the work in all its details…

 

Section 78 of the book:

            COVERINGS FOR PIPES AND BOILERS: The coverings that are used to check radiation from pipes and boilers should have good heat-insulating properties. Non-conducting coverings should be of such a nature that leaks from pipes or from the roof of the boiler house will not damage them seriously, and they should not be made of materials that are likely to char from heat. In selecting them, attention should be given, not only to the cost of the material, but also to its heat-insulating power, as determined by experiment.

            Coverings upon pipes that convey steam or hot water under pressure should be applied in such a way that they can be removed readily for repairs or inspections,-particularly where the pipes enter fittings of any kind. In the event of a leak at these places, it will then be possible to examine the pipe and make the needed repairs at materially less expense than would be involved if the covering were put on without regard to this contingency.

 

Section 85:

            Travelers inspectors are at the service of our assured at all times, to give counsel upon any points that relate to the safety or economy of the boilers…

 

The concluding section of the book, Section 106:

            INSPECTION AND INSURANCE: Every boiler owner should insure his boilers with the best company he can find; and no other company is as well prepared as The Travelers, to render technical services of a useful, practical character. Its engineers and inspectors are men of wide mechanical experience, with a sound and thorough knowledge of boiler management; and you are cordially invited to submit to them any question or problem that may arise in your plant, bearing upon the safety or economy of your steam boilers. Inquiries should be addressed to The Travelers Indemnity Company, Hartford, Connecticut.

Insurance Publications 1800s

Here are a couple of examples of publications by insurance companies in the 19th century.

In 1873, the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York came out with a book entitled Plain Directions for Accidents, Emergencies, and Poisons. The insurance company had 180,00 copies of the 144 page book printed for distribution. Take a look at an introductory page and a page that discusses lead poisoning.

In the 1890s, the Fidelity Casualty Company of New York published an engineering manual for boilers. The manual included a section on coverings for boilers and steam pipes, with mineral wool noted as being incombustible and a good protective covering. Besides mineral wool and other materials used for coverings, the manual states, "there are many patent coverings composed of asbestos, magnesia, etc., all of which have their merits."

Asbestos Use Pre World War I

In 1911, the Armstrong Cork Company wrote the book on pipe covering and the insulating of high pressure and super heated steam lines, boilers, and all heated surfaces. In the introduction, Armstrong Cork stated that "so much has been written in recent years regarding the importance of insulating hot pipelines, boiler breechings and other heated surfaces, that it is hardly necessary to make extended reference to the subject here."

Armstrong Cork developed a product called Nonpareil High Pressure Coverings, which was composed of diatomaceous earth and asbestos fibre. The Nonpareil High Pressure Coverings were made in sectional, block and cement form. Here's some photos with excerpts from Armstrong Cork's publication.

Armstrong Cork had been working on the coverings for some time. "In this as in any field, changed conditions require new methods and new materials; or at least, the adaptation of old methods and materials to new conditions. Nonpareil High Pressure Coverings are new; but not new in the sense of being untried. They represent the result of years of research directed toward the improvement of the art of heat insulation."

Asbestos Use In The 1800s

A predecessor to Johns- Manville, the H. W. Johns' Manufacturing Company promoted the use of asbestos for a number of products. Here is an H. W. Johns' ad from 1877 along with an 1890 drawing of workers insulating a still, which is a vessel used for distilling, and the piping leading to the still.

Another asbestos manufacturer in the 1800's was The Phillip Carey Manufacturing Company, which claimed in 1899 that the company had the largest pipe covering and roofing plant in the United States. Along with the claim of Phillip Carey, are some additional examples of the use of asbestos include this drawing of a worker insulating a furnace and some asbestos rope packing.