Disposable gloves provide a crucial barrier against chemical exposure, contamination, and exposure to microorganisms and other pathogens. There is a variety of glove materials available, so it’s important to appreciate the differences between these to be able to select the right glove type for your specific task.
Key Takeaways
- Disposable gloves are manufactured from a variety of materials, each offering its own level of comfort, durability, and protection. The right glove material ensures both safety and efficiency in the workplace.
- Latex gloves excel in terms of comfort and dexterity but pose risks for people with latex sensitivity or allergies.
- Nitrile gloves offer superior chemical resistance and are a popular choice in high-risk environments like surgery and industrial work.
- Choose gloves in terms of the required type and level of protection, tactile sensitivity, comfort, durability, and risk of sensitivity.
Disposable gloves are an essential, primary form of personal protective equipment (PPE). Used across a wide array of industries, they are intrinsic to maintaining safe practices in everything from healthcare to food service, laboratory-based research, manufacturing, hairdressing, automotive, and others.
The most common types used across many sectors are nitrile gloves, latex gloves, and vinyl gloves. Other materials may also be used less commonly, including polyethylene and specialty gloves that are engineered for distinct applications.
Which Glove Type is Right for Me?
- Latex Gloves are manufactured from natural rubber.
This glove type has been the standard for many decades and is used in many sectors as it provides excellence in terms of comfort, elasticity, and fit. Latex gloves offer superior tactile sensitivity and dexterity, making them highly suited to procedures, including some medical and dental procedures.
There is, however, a significant disadvantage to using latex, as some people are sensitive to it; they can develop skin irritation or even an allergic reaction when exposed to latex. In severe cases, even exposure to latex particles in the air can trigger a reaction. Many industries have therefore minimised or stopped their use of latex gloves in favour of alternatives like nitrile.
It’s important to appreciate that latex gloves still offer unparalleled comfort, dexterity, and protection for suitable tasks that require fine motor skills. As such, they are still a preferred choice in many settings. - Nitrile gloves are made from a synthetic (man-made) rubber material.
They are a popular alternative to latex and are particularly suited for use by people with a latex sensitivity or allergy. They offer excellent resistance to chemicals, tears, punctures, and abrasions. Because of this, nitrile gloves are now preferred for use in surgery, medicine, and dentistry, scientific and pathology labs, and in industries where contact with harsh chemicals is expected.
A major advantage of nitrile gloves is their impressive durability. Gloves made from this synthetic rubber are stronger than latex or vinyl, and they provide superior protection against oils, solvents, and certain acids. Though slightly less sensitive in tactile terms than latex, they are, nonetheless, a great option. Manufactured in a range of colours and thicknesses, some are specifically crafted for easy distinction and tailored use. For example, black nitrile gloves are widely used by emergency services and automotive workers, while purple nitrile gloves are exclusively used by healthcare staff delivering chemotherapy. - Vinyl Gloves: Vinyl is a synthetic plastic polymer, and vinyl gloves are typically manufactured from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
These gloves represent the most economical, cost-efficient disposable glove option and are used widely as PPE for industries such as food handling and service, janitorial and cleaning, as well as light industrial tasks where low-risk, short-term use is required. Vinyl gloves are latex-free and, while they provide wearers with basic barrier protection, they do not perform nearly as well as latex or nitrile when it comes to flexibility, durability, optimised fit, chemical- and puncture-resistance. They are unsuitable for use in medical or other high-risk environments. - Polyethylene Gloves: These disposable gloves are loose-fitting and usually very thin, and are used for food handling and other tasks where gloves need to be changed often.
They are inexpensive and provide a very basic level of protection against contamination. They do not perform well in terms of dexterity or durability. They are not suitable for medical use of any kind or in any environment requiring strong chemical or puncture resistance. Examples of the appropriate use of these gloves would be in cafeterias, food preparation areas, and delicatessens. - Other Types of PPE Gloves
- Neoprene gloves – used for chemical handling and in some lab settings for their high resistance to solvents and acids.
- Butyl rubber gloves – used in hazardous material handling for their superior protection against chemicals.
- Leather gloves – used for heavy-duty tasks like landscaping, electrical work, and welding.
- Kevlar gloves – used in manufacturing and construction to provide sharps resistance and protection
Choosing Your Glove Material
Select your gloves to meet the unique challenges of the task at hand. You need to consider:
- level of protection required
- tactile sensitivity
- comfort and fit
- durability and shelf life
- potential for sensitivity
Appreciating the distinct properties of each glove material helps you make the right choice to ensure efficiency and safety for whatever environment you need to protect yourself and others.
