You must wear gloves to protect yourself from chemical, biological and possibly physical exposure, and to protect the material you are working with, for example chemically sensitive reactions and biologically sensitive material.
It is important that you choose the right type of glove for the task. Gloves provide a false sense of security if they are not suitable for the work situation.
Disposable Chemical Gloves
When working with chemicals, radioactivity, etc., it is essential to protect your hands as effectively as possible. Therefore, it is important to choose the chemical glove that is best suited for the task. The supplier provides an overview of which chemicals the glove has been tested against and the breakthrough time of each chemical. The higher the breakthrough time, the longer it takes before the chemical penetrates the glove. It is also important that the glove fits well and is the correct size to ensure a good grip.
Currently, the selection of gloves varies depending on what is available on the market. See some of the different models here.
Material
Nitrile gloves are made from synthetic rubber, an artificial material. Nitrile gloves vary in elasticity, thickness, and design. Nitrile is resistant to mechanical impact and to many chemicals, oils, and fats.
Neoprene gloves (chloroprene gloves) are made from a synthetic material. The material protects against a wide range of chemicals, including alcohols, acids, and oil products. In terms of elasticity and chemical‑protective properties, the material resembles nitrile.
It is not the material itself that determines the glove’s breakthrough time, but the manufacturing process.
Glove allergy and irritation
Using chemical‑resistant gloves can cause irritation and, in the worst case, allergies for some people. If you experience itching or other skin irritation when using chemical gloves, immediately contact your laboratory supervisor or health and safety representative to discuss switching glove types and possibly taking a break from the part of the lab work that requires gloves.
If you already know before starting that you have a glove allergy or easily develop skin irritation, you should likewise contact your laboratory supervisor or health and safety representative.
Read more about gloves and allergies at the Danish Allergy Research Centre.
If you tend to get skin irritation from moist skin or cold work, you can use cotton gloves underneath the chemical gloves.
If you suspect an allergy, you should contact your doctor for assessment.
How should chemical‑resistant gloves be used?
Chemical gloves should be used when necessary, and for as short a time as possible.
You must not wear gloves when answering the phone, typing on a computer, touching door handles, etc., inside or outside the laboratory (there are special rules in Class‑2 genetic engineering laboratories).
You should not use gloves when working with open flames. If you judge it necessary to use gloves while working with an open flame, thorough instruction is required, and extra attention must be paid during the work.
Chemical gloves must be changed when the work is finished, during breaks, when the procedure changes, when leaving the fume hood, when they become contaminated—and always before the breakthrough time is reached. If no breakthrough time exists, or if the chemical penetrates the glove quickly, the gloves must be changed upon contact with the chemical.
Wash your hands after removing gloves, and use moisturizer if needed.
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