Appendix J - Glove Selection

EH&S receives requests from the campus community for advice about protective gloves for use with chemicals. The proper gloves can protect skin from contact with chemicals; however, no glove material is absolutely impermeable. Gloves should not be used as a substitute for procedural changes that remove your hands from the area of potential contamination. Chemicals may penetrate glove materials through seams, tears, or imperfections in the glove material; or they can permeate the glove material by sorption at the glove surface, diffusion of molecules through the glove matrix, and desorption at the skin side of the glove. When selecting a glove, some of the factors you should consider are:

• the type of chemicals and whether they are single component or multicomponent
• concentration of the chemicals
• temperature of the chemicals
• frequency and duration of contact
• abrasion resistance
• dexterity/grip
• length to be protected (hand, forearm, arm)

GLOVE MATERIALS

Chemically resistant gloves are available in a variety of materials, including natural rubber or latex, butyl, neoprene, nitrile, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and combinations of these materials and others. Unfortunately, significant differences exist between various manufacturers' materials that can profoundly affect how a material will perform. Formulations of the same base material or manufacturing methods may differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. The form of the material may also influence performance; for example, molded neoprene can have significantly different properties from those of coated neoprene.

Physical integrity of the glove is also important. A glove that provides excellent chemical resistance without adequate resistance to tears, punctures, or abrasions is of little value. Generally, for a given material, the thicker the film of protective material, the better. However, a thicker material can impair dexterity. Likewise, gloves that are too small can restrict circulation, causing hand fatigue; gloves that are too large are uncomfortable, hard to work in, and can be dangerous.

Generally, the types of chemicals used will be the primary factor in selecting the appropriate glove material; however, all factors should be considered in making the final selection.

Because of the differences that exist between manufacturers' products and the testing methods that are used to rate a material's resistance to a chemical, most manufacturers or vendors include disclaimers with their lists stating that the data is intended for guidance only. Be aware that even a glove with an "excellent" rating is not indefinitely impervious. By following these guidelines and the manufacturer's recommendations, contact can be kept to a minimum.

• Conduct your own test. Turn a glove inside out, fill it with the test solution, and suspend it over a basin. (If the test solution is volatile, conduct the test in a fume hood.) Check periodically for cracking, softening, dripping, or deterioration. The time it takes for signs of degradation to occur is an indication of the ability of the glove to protect your skin.
• The thin vinyl or latex gloves available from the storeroom are effective only against water-based or other relatively polar solutions. These gloves are not impervious to most organic liquids. Neoprene gloves, also available from the Storehouse, provide better protection against many organic substances. If you are unsure which glove to use, call EH&S at x6342.
• If you are working with a mixture of chemicals, check the glove material for resistance to each component of the mixture.
• Before you put on protective gloves (even new ones), check them for holes, tears, and other defects, such as softening or deformation, which indicate that physical or chemical degradation has occurred. A damaged glove is worse than none--it can leak chemicals and trap them next to your skin.
• The glove recommended as the best choice may be bulky, stiff, or have other properties that limit its use for detail work. If sensitivity of touch is required, it may be better to use remote handling techniques plus a lightweight pair of disposable gloves. If you choose this alternative for long procedures (more than 15 minutes potential exposure to the chemical), change the gloves frequently, even though no obvious contamination has occurred.
• Make sure that all open wounds, abrasions, or other breaks in the skin are covered before putting on protective gloves. Some chemicals that do not appear to affect the skin may have severe toxicological effects internally.
• Before reusing gloves, test them again for resistance. Chemicals may have permeated the glove material even though the gloves have been thoroughly rinsed or cleaned.
• Review the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the chemicals or products of interest. MSDSs are available in the Science Division Office.

For more information about gloves or recommendations for specific chemicals or products, call EH&S at x6342.

SUGGESTED GLOVE MATERIALS (a)

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