What knowledge can help you better choose nitrile gloves?

Disposable gloves are an indispensable part of personal protective equipment (PPE), which means it is crucial to choose the right disposable gloves in the workplace.

Especially in the healthcare industry, practitioners need to wear a reliable pair of disposable gloves to protect their hands from chemicals, biological materials, sharp objects and other hazards.

In this regard, nitrile gloves have become the first choice in the healthcare industry because these gloves are sufficiently protective, durable, easy to replace, reasonably priced, and latex-free.

In order to better help you make a rational PPE selection, the following will briefly explain to you what nitrile gloves are, the uses of nitrile gloves, what hazards nitrile gloves can and cannot prevent, etc. I hope it can help you. Choose the right nitrile gloves.

 What are nitrile gloves? 

Nitrile gloves are disposable gloves made of synthetic rubber and are suitable for use in many industries. It is produced by emulsion polymerization of butadiene (H2C=CH-CH=CH2) and acrylonitrile (H2C=CH-CN). It is mainly produced by low-temperature emulsion polymerization. It has the properties of both homopolymers and does not Contains latex. This means that nitrile gloves are a reliable PPE alternative that is non-allergenic for anyone with latex allergies.

Nitrile gloves are more resistant to penetration than other types of rubber gloves and are well resistant to many chemicals. They are often called the sturdiest disposable gloves and are suitable for people with latex allergies.

Unlike other disposable gloves, nitrile gloves have low friction and resistance, so they slide easily. Other disposable gloves often require the application of powdered substances such as cornstarch to help provide lubrication. Nitrile gloves come in different sizes so they are suitable for all hand sizes. Additionally, products in this category vary in texture, cuff length and thickness.

Nitrile gloves are available in a variety of colours, sizes and thicknesses, making them suitable for a range of applications. Nitrile gloves are also unisex and can be used with both hands, so workers don’t have to waste time looking for matching suits and workplaces don’t have to worry about overstocking.

What are the uses of nitrile gloves?

Nitrile gloves are suitable for hand protection in many industries, providing users with hand protection from a range of potential hazards. Moreover, nitrile gloves are more convenient to wear and are suitable for positions that last for a short period of time and require frequent replacement of gloves.

Specifically, nitrile gloves can provide hand protection for workers in the following working environments:

Laboratory personnel: Nitrile gloves are comfortable, stable in performance, and have excellent chemical resistance. They can avoid irritation and damage to the skin caused by chemical substances and are an excellent choice for laboratory personnel.

Assembly line workers: Nitrile gloves have excellent chemical resistance and are suitable for workers who face harmful chemicals. For example, workers working in battery manufacturing and processing plants are exposed to the hazards of lead and need to wear gloves while working.

Catering industry: Compared with PVC gloves and PE gloves, nitrile gloves are more comfortable to wear and are more suitable for long-term wear. They are an ideal choice for food processing and food service fields.

Maintenance workers: Nitrile gloves can effectively isolate grease and will not cause "oil leakage". Therefore, they are especially suitable for maintenance workers who are often exposed to grease when repairing machinery, equipment and vehicles.

Cleaning workers: Nitrile gloves can fight against harmful chemicals. Cleaning workers wearing nitrile gloves at work can protect their hands from contact with harmful chemicals in cleaning products and effectively isolate pathogens.

Medical staff: Nitrile gloves do not contain protein, amino compounds and other harmful substances, and rarely cause allergies, making them very suitable for use by medical staff. In addition, nitrile gloves are three to five times more puncture-resistant than latex, making them a better choice for dentists who need to use sharp tools.

Compared with latex gloves, what are the advantages of nitrile gloves?

Puncture resistance: Compared to latex gloves, nitrile gloves have better puncture resistance. For disposable gloves, puncture resistance is very important to better protect the user's hand safety.

Chemical resistance: In addition to being more puncture-resistant, nitrile gloves are also more chemical-resistant than latex gloves, protecting the user's hands from chemicals, acids, and oils.

LATEX FREE: Nitrile gloves are latex free and suitable for users with latex allergies or skin sensitivities. Especially in the medical industry, it is necessary to consider the user's allergy to latex, so try to choose hypoallergenic gloves.

More comfortable fit: Body temperature can make nitrile gloves softer and better fit the shape of the user's hand, making them more fit and comfortable than latex gloves. If you need to engage in some long-term, flexible and efficient tasks, you should try to choose disposable gloves that fit better.

Easy to put on: Because nitrile gloves have lower friction resistance than latex gloves, nitrile gloves are more convenient to put on. During the manufacturing process of nitrile gloves, surface treatment is performed to make the disposable gloves easier to put on and take off. This finish means that nitrile gloves do not require the use of powder to help the gloves glide, eliminating the chance of powdery residue.

What substances can nitrile gloves protect against?

If you want to know what substances nitrile gloves can resist, you first need to learn to distinguish what is accidental contact and what is long-term contact. By distinguishing the contact scenarios between the two, you can understand what nitrile gloves can resist.

Accidental contact: Accidental exposure of hands to hazards in the work area, such as accidental splashes, spills, sprays, or exposure to infectious disease agents. In these accidental situations, accidental contact can be avoided by placing a barrier between the glove wearer and the material.

Long-term exposure: Long-term exposure to hazards in the workplace, such as handling highly contaminated materials, chemicals or other harmful substances, high-temperature products or sharp products, etc.

Determining what nitrile gloves can protect against depends on the thickness of the glove. Thin nitrile gloves (such as disposable examination gloves) are generally used for incidental contact. Thicker nitrile gloves (such as reusable gloves) are used for longer-term contact. Generally speaking, nitrile gloves with a thickness of 5 mm can withstand chemical exposure for about 15 minutes.

Specifically, nitrile gloves can resist the following substances:

Microorganisms: Nitrile gloves can resist a variety of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc. Therefore, nitrile gloves are widely used in the medical industry.

Oils, Fuels and Petroleum Products: Nitrile gloves are resistant to petroleum products such as oils, fuels and greases and are widely used in the automotive, manufacturing and industrial industries.

Weak Acids: Nitrile gloves protect the wearer from weak acids, such as sulfuric and nitric acids. This resistance makes nitrile gloves versatile and useful in a variety of industries from pharmaceuticals to food service.

Weak Caustics: The term caustics refers to any substance that may cause corrosion. Nitrile gloves are resistant to mild corrosive substances.

Some organic solvents: The resistance of nitrile laboratory gloves to many organic solvents makes them suitable for laboratory work and various experiments.

What cannot be used for nitrile gloves:

Although nitrile gloves can protect workers' hands, when handling some serious substances, nitrile gloves have poor resistance and are easily invaded by toxic and harmful substances, causing harm to the glove user.

To avoid injury, avoid using nitrile gloves when handling the following substances:

aromatic solvent

ketones

acetate

Concentrated acid

Highly corrosive chemicals

Rather than wearing nitrile gloves to handle extremely hazardous materials, choose one of the following protective glove varieties:

Butyl: Butyl rubbers have the highest resistance to gases and water vapor, making them particularly useful when working with ketones and esters. However, butyl rubber gloves are not resistant to hydrocarbons or chlorinated solvents.

Norfoil: Norfoil is a material suitable for handling most hazardous chemicals, but does not provide the wearer with great fit or flexibility.

Viton: Viton gloves are designed for chemical resistance. While these gloves have excellent resistance to aromatic and chlorinated solvents, they offer little protection against abrasions and cuts.

Neoprene: Neoprene gloves are suitable for handling milder acids and corrosives as well as handling extreme heat. However, neoprene also sweats more easily.

What should be done if the nitrile gloves worn become infected:

If you find that the gloves are contaminated while using nitrile gloves, please take off the gloves according to the following procedures:

1. Grasp the outside of one glove at the wrist, being careful not to touch your skin.

2. Peel the glove away from the body and pull it from the inside out.

3. Hold the newly removed gloves in the hand still wearing the gloves.

4. Slide your ungloved fingers into the glove you are still wearing at the top of your wrist and start peeling it off.

5. As you pull the second glove away from your body, turn the second glove over, leaving the first glove inside the second glove.

6. Dispose of gloves safely and ensure they are never reused.

7. Clean your hands immediately after taking off contaminated gloves.