Personal protective equipment or PPE is required to be used in many diverse occupations. Everyone from doctors, dentists, and nurses to food handlers, automotive technicians, hairdressers, tattooists, and emergency services must, for example, use disposable gloves in their day-to-day work to protect themselves and/or others from potential harm.
Using disposable gloves is very common. From rubber latex gloves bought in the supermarket for use at home for cleaning or food preparation, to sterile surgical gloves required in operating theatres, using appropriate hand protection is essential for comfort, health, and safety.
The Transition from Latex to Nitrile…
Latex gloves have long been popular across many industries where workers are required to wear disposable hand protection. Made from rubber, they are cost-effective and convenient. Today, however, a lot of people are now switching to using nitrile gloves.
Nitrile gloves are a great alternative to latex. Comparable in price to latex, they are inexpensive and disposable.
What is Nitrile? This material is made of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber; manufactured by reprocessing natural rubber and removing its latex proteins. Synthetic (man-made) and free of latex, nitrile does not cause allergies (which latex can) and it is ideal for use by anyone who is sensitive to latex. It is also a great option for use in medical or other settings where the wearer touches others who may be sensitive.
Why Opt for Nitrile Gloves?
These gloves offer a short period of splash protection from micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites), weak acids and caustics, some organic solvents, oils, fuels, and petroleum products.
Other benefits include:
· Non-allergenic for almost all users.
· Strong; effective for preventing exposure to environmental contaminants.
· Highly puncture resistant and suited to medical and surgical settings where there is a high risk of needlestick injury and tears.
· Highly chemical resistant (more so than latex). Enhanced protection against chemicals, acids, oils, and solvents.
· Good resistance to chemical degradation; adequate protection when exposed to acetone, ethanol, methanol, and other materials. (It is not, however, resistant to all chemicals).
· Comfortable: it fits better than latex as the body’s heat conforms it well to the wearer’s hand for a snug fit. This improves dexterity and enables comfort and effectiveness for longer wear-duration.
· Low friction resistance, so it is much easier to put on and remove nitrile gloves.
· Nitrile gloves do not require powdering to guarantee comfort and ease of use. This means more suitability for use in healthcare, food handling, and many other working environments.
Limitations
No disposable glove is 100% impenetrable. Nitrile does provide a higher level of protection than latex. It resists chemicals for longer and enables more time to safely change gloves if exposure to harmful chemicals occurs.
For protection when using highly corrosive chemicals, ketones, acetates, aromatic solvents, and concentrated acids, a glove material such as neoprene is required.
Conclusion
Nitrile gloves offer dependable, durable, cost-efficient hand protection and are suitable for scenarios where there is potential exposure to biohazards, cuts, punctures, liquids (including body fluids) and abrasive materials.
They are widely used in hospitals and clinical settings; dentists; laboratories; tattoo and piercing parlours; hair and beauty salons, and nail salons; by police and paramedics; in food service and handling; industrial facilities, manufacturing, logistics, packing, and automotive; janitorial and cleaning; pest management, and much more.
Consider the type of exposure you potentially need protection against and whether nitrile is the ideal glove material for you and your employees. Shop online with a reputable supplier for brands you know and trust.
