Glove Selection Guide
Guidance for University
Departments and Functions
Safety Services Office
Glove selection guide
Section title
Gloves as Personal Protective Equipment
Definitions related to glove standards
Glove materials
Chemical resistance
Use with biological agents
Disposable vs re-useable gloves
Gloves for incidental and extended contact
Glove selection charts
References
Page number
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2
3
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5
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Appendices:
Appendix 1: SUMMARY: GENERAL RULES FOR HAND PROTECTION *
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Appendix 2: CORRECT USE OF GLOVES
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Appendix 3: EXAMPLE OF A GLOVE SELECTION (CHEMICAL RESISTANCE)
CHART
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* Please note this appendix covers a single page and can easily be copied for
inclusion in local departmental documentation.
Gloves as Personal Protective Equipment
The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992 require that:
“Every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided to his
employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work except where
and to the extent that such risk has been adequately controlled by other means which are equally
or more effective.”
PPE is always the “last resort” in a hierarchy of control measures, i.e. engineering controls and safe
systems of work should always be considered first. This is because:
Gloves only protect the wearer – they do not remove the contaminant from the workplace
If protective gloves are used incorrectly, or are badly maintained, the wearer may not be
protected
Gloves themselves can cause skin problems
Wearing gloves interferes with the wearers sense of touch
The extent of protection depends on a good fit
Some types of gloves are inconvenient and interfere with the way people work
In any given situation, it is important to establish the exact purpose of a protective glove:
Is a glove needed at all?
Is a glove needed just to keep the hands clean?
Is it for protection against heat, cold, abrasion or cuts?
Is it for protection against chemicals?
Is it for protection against blood-borne viruses?
Is it for protection against laboratory animal allergens?
Definitions relating to glove standards
Permeation rate is the rate at which the chemical will move through the material. It is measured in
a laboratory and is expressed in units such as milligrams per square metre per second, or some
other [weight of chemical] per [unit area of material] per [unit of time]. The higher the permeation
rate, the faster the chemical will move through the material. The process of permeation continues
even when the glove is no longer in contact with the chemical.
Users should be aware that when a glove has been in contact with a chemical, the glove will to
some extent be infiltrated with the chemical due to permeation.
Permeation is different from penetration. Penetration occurs when the chemical leaks through
seams, pinholes and other imperfections in the material: permeation occurs when the chemical
diffuses or travels through intact material.
Breakthrough time is the time it takes a chemical to permeate completely through the material. It
is determined by applying the chemical on the glove exterior and measuring the time it takes to
detect the chemical on the inside surface. The sensitivity of the analytical instruments used in these
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measurements influence when a chemical is first detected. The breakthrough time gives some
indication of how long a glove can be used before the chemical will permeate through the material.
Degradation is a measurement of the physical deterioration of the material due to contact with a
chemical. The material may get harder, stiffer, more brittle, softer, weaker or may swell. The worst
example is that the material may actually dissolve in the chemical.
Glove materials
Selection of glove materials should be based on quantitative information such as permeation rate,
breakthrough time, penetration and degradation. Various factors like the thickness of the material,
manufacturing methods, and product quality control can have a significant effect on these
properties.
For a given thickness, the type of polymer selected has the greatest influence on the level of
chemical protection. For a given polymer an increase in thickness will result in a higher level of
protection. A rule of thumb is that double the thickness will quadruple the breakthrough time.
The manufacturing process of glove making may result in slight variations in performance. The user
is warned to exercise care and to check the glove regularly for breakthrough and diminished
physical performance.
Some of the more common glove materials are:
butyl - a synthetic rubber with good resistance to weathering and a wide variety of
chemicals.
latex (natural rubber) - a highly flexible and conforming material made from a liquid tapped
from rubber plants. Also referred to as NRL.
neoprene - a synthetic rubber having chemical and wear-resistance properties superior to
those of natural rubber.
nitrile - a copolymer available in a wide range of acrylonitrile (propane nitrile) content;
chemical resistance and stiffness increase with higher acrylonitrile content. Also called NBR
or HNBR.
polyethylene - a fairly chemical-resistant material used as a freestanding film or a fabric
coating.
polyvinyl alcohol - a water-soluble polymer that exhibits exceptional resistance to many
organic solvents that rapidly permeate most rubbers. Not to be used with aqueous
solutions.
polyvinyl chloride - a stiff polymer that is made softer and more suitable for protective
clothing applications by the addition of plasticizers. Also called vinyl or PVC.
polyurethane - an abrasion-resistant rubber that is either coated onto fabrics or formed into
gloves or boots.
Viton® - a registered trademark of DuPont, it is a highly chemical-resistant but expensive
synthetic elastomer.
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For a few specific situations when it is impossible to predict the variety of hazards, multi-laminate
gloves made of layers of several different materials are available.
Of these materials, the most commonly used gloves in laboratories are latex and nitrile:
Latex gloves
Latex disposable gloves offer no worthwhile protection against many commonly used chemicals.
They will severely degrade, often in a matter of seconds or minutes, when used with some
chemicals (e.g. turpentine).
An estimated 8-12% of the population are allergic to latex products, and staff required to wear
latex gloves should receive training on the potential health effects. If latex is required, hypoallergenic, non-powdered gloves should be used.
The use of disposable latex gloves is only appropriate for:
Most biological materials including laboratory animal allergens;
Non-hazardous chemicals;
Very dilute, aqueous solutions of hazardous chemicals: Less than 1% for most hazardous
chemicals or less than 0.1% if a known or suspect human carcinogen is in use in aqueous
solution;
Clean work area requirements;
Medical, veterinary and animal husbandry applications.
Do not wear latex gloves if you have or think you are susceptible to a latex
allergy. Any indication of possible latex allergy must be reported to the Head
of Department and the Safety Services Office
Nitrile gloves
Nitrile disposable gloves are more durable and provide a clearer indication when they tear or break.
They also offer a better set of chemical resistances and are less allergenic. In all cases single use,
surgical or examination type nitrile gloves can be substituted for latex gloves.
Chemical resistance
The selection of the proper chemical-resistant glove begins with an evaluation of the task to be
undertaken. Factors that influence this selection are:
the type of chemicals to be handled;
frequency and duration of chemical contact – longer exposure time will shorten the
breakthrough time;
nature of contact (total immersion or splash only);
concentration of chemicals;
temperature of chemicals – higher temperature will shorten the breakthrough time;
abrasion-resistance requirements;
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puncture-, snag-, tear-, and cut-resistance requirements;
length of hand and arm to be protected (hand only, forearm etc.);
dexterity requirements - this need may significantly limit the thickness of glove material that
can be used;
grip requirements (dry grip, wet grip, oily) - the requirement for textured or non-slip
surfaces to improve grip must be considered;
cuff edge (plain, knit wrist, gauntlet);
colour requirements (to show contamination);
thermal protection;
size and comfort requirements;
price.
For mixtures and formulated products, the glove should be selected for maximum protection
against the chemical component with the shortest breakthrough time (unless specific test data are
available). Care should be taken to select a glove material that is compatible with all the
components.
Use with biological agents
The testing methodology outlined in the 2003 EU standards is sufficient for demonstrating a barrier
to bacteria and fungi, but not viruses. If gloves have been tested for resistance to bacteria and
fungi (and passed) they have ‘EN374-2: 2003’ displayed on the box, with the associated biohazard
symbol and further details on the grading of the pass.
To be tested for viral penetration, gloves must go through ASTM F1671-97b testing, which is an
American standard test method. These tests use Phi-X174 bacteriophage penetration as a test
system. The Phi-X174 bacteriophage is one of the smallest known viruses at 25-27 nm in size (for
comparison: Hepatitis B is 42-47 nm and the HIV virus is 80-110 nm in size).
Manufacturer websites will give further information and detail of whether these tests have been
conducted. However, a ‘pass’ in these tests should not mean the gloves are used as a line of
defence against a biological agent. Gloves must be used as “last resort” protection, after other
control measures have been applied where possible.
Disposable versus re-usable gloves
The first task is to decide if single use, surgical or examination type gloves will provide adequate
protection. Reusable gloves are necessary wherever there is heavy contact with chemicals,
immersion in chemicals or potential for contact with extremely hazardous chemicals. Disposable
gloves can provide protection only against splashes and incidental chemical contact. Disposable
gloves do not provide the same degree of chemical protection as reusable gloves. Disposable
latex and nitrile gloves are the most common gloves used in research laboratories. Standard latex
examination gloves are cheap and do provide protection for biological and minor chemical hazards.
However, they are not recommended for protection from chemicals and are generally not listed in
chemical glove selection guides. While disposable nitrile gloves are slightly more expensive than
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latex, glove selection data can be found for some of them, and they are more suitable for general
lab use.
Note that the performance levels defined by BSEN 374, as described above under “definitions, may
not be assigned to some disposable gloves, which are classified as being “For minimal risks only”.
Again it must be remembered that gloves are the last line of defence against chemicals and must
therefore be used as “last resort” protection, after other control measures have been applied
where possible.
Re-useable gloves
Glove decontamination and reuse are controversial and unresolved issues. Often, surface
contamination can be removed by scrubbing with soap and water; at other times, as in the case of
emulsifiable concentrates, it may be practically impossible. The solvents in many emulsifiable
concentrates prompt this concern. Volatile solvents such as toluene and xylene readily penetrate
many polymers and the non-volatile solvents, such as alkylated napthalenes and petroleum oil, are
very difficult to remove from the glove material.
Once absorbed, some chemicals will continue to diffuse through the material toward the inside
even after the surface has been decontaminated. For highly chemical resistant gloves, the amount
reaching the inside may be insignificant, but for moderately performing materials, significant
amounts of chemicals can reach the inside. This may not occur during use, but while the glove is
stored overnight. The next morning, when the worker dons the glove, he may be putting his hand
into direct contact with a hazardous chemical. In addition to the chemical resistance of the glove
material, the amount of chemical reaching the inner surface can be affected by the duration of
exposure, duration of storage, the surface area exposed and the temperature.
The decision to reuse the gloves requires consideration of these factors as well as the toxicity of the
chemical(s). Unless extreme care is exercised to ensure decontamination, the reuse of gloves that
have been contaminated with a toxic chemical is not advisable. For this reason, the disposal of
gloves on a regular and frequent basis is advisable.
Gloves for incidental and extended contact
"Incidental contact" - none, or very little, actual contact with a chemical in use is anticipated.
Disposable gloves can be used for incidental contact, as long as no very hazardous chemicals are
being used.
The gloves are there to prevent chemical contact with the skin when something goes wrong - a
spill or splash to the hand, over spray from a dispensing device, etc.
As soon as practicable after the chemical makes contact with the gloved hand the gloves must
be removed and replaced.
"Extended contact" - the gloved hands come into substantial contact with or actually may become
covered with or immersed in the chemical in use.
Generally, a glove specified for incidental contact is not suitable for extended contact and a
more substantial glove will be required.
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Glove selection charts
Gloves of various types are available from many different manufacturers and distributors. For nonincidental contact, start with selection charts provided by glove manufacturers. However, note
that:
Different manufacturers use different formulations and manufacturing processes, and a glove
from one company may not have the same chemical resistance as a similar glove from another
company.
Glove selection based on the manufacturers' glove selection charts is often impossible, as only a
limited range of chemicals have been tested for use with a specific manufacturer's glove. In
particular, many research-grade chemicals have not been tested by the various glove
manufacturers. If in doubt contact the manufacturers of the chemical and the glove for advice.
Physical performance may be a more critical factor in some cases than chemical resistance. If a job
application involves handling heavy, rough, or sharp objects then the glove must have high
resistance to abrasion, cuts, snags, etc. A hole in a glove can provide much greater chemical
exposure potential than molecular permeation. The thicker the glove material the greater the
chemical resistance, but thick gloves can impair grip, dexterity, and safety. Consider sensitivity and
the ability to grip as very important factors.
The proper glove design and fit contribute to comfort, productivity, and safety. Curved-finger glove
design fits the natural hand contour for working comfort. Gloves that are too small bind and cause
undue hand fatigue. However, gloves that are too large are uncomfortable, hard to work in and
can be dangerous if they get caught up in work equipment.
The phrase sometimes found on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) “Wear impervious (or
impermeable) gloves” is technically inaccurate. No glove material remains impervious to a specific
chemical indefinitely and no one glove material is resistant to all chemicals. Some chemicals will
travel through or permeate the glove in a few seconds, while other chemicals may take days or
weeks. Information specifying the best type of chemical protective material should be on the MSDS
(e.g. neoprene, butyl rubber). If this information is missing, contact the supplier or manufacturer of
the product. Contact the glove manufacturer if you have specific questions about their gloves.
A professor in the USA died in 1997 from exposure to dimethylmercury, which penetrated her latex
gloves.
A researcher at Darmouth died in June of 1997 from acute mercury poisoning. Her exposure was the
result of approximately one-half of a milliliter of dimethyl mercury falling on her hand during an
experiment. Although she was wearing latex gloves and replaced them soon after the exposure,
within several months she had developed mercury poisoning. The reason for her exposure was that
dimethyl mercury easily permeates latex gloves. She and many of her colleagues around the world
were totally unaware of this property of dimethyl mercury although they frequently use it.
The type of chemical used is the most important factor for selecting gloves to protect against
chemical exposure, especially for highly toxic chemicals. Select the glove with the highest chemical
resistance rating and other glove properties that best address your application. For highly toxic
chemicals, the use of an inner and outer glove may be necessary. For example, a highly resistant
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laminated glove should be worn under a pair of long-cuffed, unsupported neoprene, nitrile, or
similar heavy-duty gloves when highly toxic chemicals are being handled.
There are many resources available to assist in selecting the proper glove for your application (see
references and appendix 3). Such tables should be used as a starting point for proper selection of
glove material, but not used alone. These charts have their limitations:
it is often not possible to tell what thickness of glove is being referred to
it is often not possible to tell on what basis judgements such as “good” or “poor” are being
made (breakthrough time, permeation rate?)
conflicting advice will sometimes be found
there is sometimes no indication of the quantitative data on which semi-quantitative
statements are based (what is the cut-off between “good” and “fair”?)
unless specifically stated, charts giving breakthrough times or permeation rates do not refer
to thin disposable gloves.
Reliable information is best obtained by finding data for the specific glove in question – this
information is usually only obtainable from the supplier or manufacturer. This is sometimes
available on manufacturers’ websites (see References). However it should be noted that the type
of information and level of detail given by manufacturers varies.
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References
Shield Scientific (manufacturer). This website contains information on the glove standards, and
has a chemical resistance guide (within the ‘resource centre’ section).
http://www.shieldscientific.com/
Ansell Protective Products (manufacturer) http://www.ansell.be/
Marigold Industrial (manufacturer) http://www.marigoldindustrial.com/
Kimberley-Clark Skin Wellness Institute http://www.kcprofessional.com/uk/
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety: glove selection guidance
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/ppe/gloves.html
EnviroDerm Services – articles and reports on skin protection http://www.enviroderm.co.uk/
HSE leaflet on the use of protective gloves with chemicals
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg330.pdf
HSE leaflet on the PPE Regulations
http://www.le.ac.uk/safety/documents/pdfs/pperegsguide.pdf
University of Oxford glove guide – very useful information on selection by glove material and by
chemical http://users.ox.ac.uk/~phar0036/biomedsafety/labsafety/ppe/gloves/ppegloves.html
Policy and Code of Practice for the Prevention of Latex Allergy (University of Leicester)
http://www.le.ac.uk/safety/documents/pdfs/latex-policy-0104.pdf
Available from the Safety Services Office:
Video – Managing Latex Reactions and Sensitivities.
PowerPoint Presentation on CD-ROM: Managing Latex Reactions and Sensitivities.
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APPENDIX 1: SUMMARY: GENERAL RULES FOR HAND PROTECTION
Gloves are the last line of defence against chemicals and must therefore be used as
“last resort” protection, after other control measures have been applied where
possible.
1. Protective gloves shall be worn where there is a likelihood of skin contact with irritant or
corrosive chemicals, or with chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin.
2. Protective gloves that provide protection against cuts and abrasions shall be worn when
handling sharp, rough or abrasive objects.
3. Gloves that provide thermal insulation shall be worn when hot or very cold objects must be
handled.
4. Gloves should be selected on the basis of the materials being handled, the physical conditions
that exist, and the requirements of the tasks to be performed.
5. Before each use, chemical resistant gloves shall be inspected for punctures, tears or other signs
of degradation and new gloves used if these conditions are found. Disposable gloves must not
be re-used if they have been in contact with hazardous chemicals.
6. Gloves, other than single use types, should be decontaminated by rinsing or washing before
removal.
7. Special gloves are manufactured for use by electricians, welders and others. It is the
responsibility of the supervisor to determine whether such specialised hand protection is
needed and to make sure that it is readily available when needed.
8. Choose gloves of good quality – the cheapest gloves are unlikely to have undergone stringent
quality control procedures during production. The gloves should be CE marked.
9. Do not use oil-based hand creams, such as barrier creams, when wearing rubber or plastic
gloves.
10. Wash hands after removing gloves, and apply hand cream if desired.
11. Gloves should be removed when picking up a telephone or using equipment that other people
touch bare-handed. Like all personal protective equipment gloves should be removed before
leaving the hazard area.
12. Gloves should not be used where there is a danger of the glove becoming caught in moving
machinery or materials.
13. Sleeves must be worn outside glove gauntlets when caustic substances are being poured.
Note also:
All glove materials are permeable to some extent. No one material serves as a barrier to all
chemicals. A suitable glove is one that has an acceptably low breakthrough time for the chemical
being used under the circumstances of use. Breakthrough time is generally inversely related to
glove thickness.
Thin cotton gloves worn under rubber gloves improve comfort by absorbing perspiration during
prolonged use. They also reduce chances for skin absorption by separating the glove surface and
the skin. However, if the cotton lining contacts a hazardous material, it can act as a wick and soak
up the hazardous material.
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APPENDIX 2: CORRECT USE OF GLOVES
INSPECTION:
All gloves should be inspected before use for indications of degradation (swelling, cracking,
shrinking, or discoloration) and any signs of cuts, splits or punctures. A damaged glove should
be immediately disposed of.
Change gloves frequently, especially thin disposable gloves that have been exposed to
chemicals.
If chemicals are known or suspected to have reached the inside of a glove, either by penetration
or permeation, the glove must be removed and discarded as soon as possible.
CLEANING:
Thicker reusable gloves should be rinsed after use to prolong their life and prevent the spread
of chemical contamination from the dirty glove.
Cleaning and re-use of disposable gloves is not recommended.
REMOVAL:
Remove gloves before leaving the immediate work site to prevent contamination of doorknobs,
light switches, telephones, etc.
When removing gloves, pull the cuff over your hand and turn the glove inside-out.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap (or soap-less hand cleanser) and water after wearing
gloves.
TRAINING:
Staff training should include consideration of:
what are the hazards of skin contact with the chemical?
what are limitations of the gloves?
what could happen and what to do if the gloves fail?
when to dispose of or to decontaminate gloves.
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APPENDIX 3: EXAMPLE OF A GLOVE SELECTION (CHEMICAL RESISTANCE) CHART
Source – Denison University, USA
(E = Excellent. G = Good, F = Fair, P = Poor)
Chemical
Acetaldehyde
Acetic Acid
Acetone
Acrylonitrile
Ammonium hydroxide (conc.)
Aniline
Benzaldehyde
Benzene
Benzyl Chloride (a)
Bromine
Butane
Butyraldehyde
Calcium hypochlorite
Carbon disulfide
Carbon tetrachloride
Chlorine
Chloroacetone
Chloroform (a)
Chromic acid
Cyclohexane
Dibenzyl ether
Dibutyl phthalate
Diethanolamine
Diethyl ether
Dimethyl Sulfoxide (b)
Ethyl acetate
Ethylene dichloride (a)
Ethylene glycol
Ethylene trichloride (a)
Fluorine
Formaldehyde
Formic acid
Glycerol
Hexane
Hydrobromic acid (40%)
Hydrochloric acid (conc.)
Hydrofluoric acid (30%)
Hydrogen peroxide
Iodine
Methylamine
Methyl cellosolve
Methyl chloride (a)
Methylene chloride (a)
Natural
Rubber
G
E
G
P
G
F
F
P
F
G
P
P
P
P
P
G
F
P
P
F
F
F
F
F
F
P
G
P
G
G
G
G
P
G
G
G
G
G
G
F
P
F
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Neoprene
Nitrile
Vinyl
G
E
G
G
E
G
F
F
P
G
E
G
G
P
F
G
E
F
F
E
G
G
E
G
G
F
G
P
G
E
E
G
E
E
G
G
G
G
G
E
E
F
E
E
G
E
E
E
G
G
G
G
G
G
F
E
G
G
E
E
E
E
G
G
G
E
G
G
E
F
F
E
F
G
F
P
G
P
G
G
F
F
G
P
P
E
P
P
P
E
P
F
P
E
P
G
E
E
E
P
E
E
E
E
G
E
P
P
F
Methyl ethyl ketone
Monoethanolamine
Morpholine
Naphthalene (a)
Nitric acid (conc.)
Perchloric acid
Phenol
Phosphoric acid
Potassium hydroxide (sat.)
Propylene dichloride
Sodium hydroxide
Sodium hypochlorite
Sulfuric acid (conc.)
Toluene (a)
Trichloroethylene (a)
Tricresyl phosphate
Triethanolamine
Trinitrotoluene
F
F
F
G
P
F
G
G
G
P
G
G
G
P
P
P
F
P
G
E
E
G
P
G
E
E
G
F
G
P
G
F
F
F
E
E
G
E
P
F
G
G
F
F
G
G
E
-
P
E
E
G
G
E
E
E
E
P
E
G
G
F
F
F
E
P
(a) Aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons will attack all types of natural and synthetic glove material.
Should swelling occur, the user should change to fresh gloves and allow the swollen gloves to dry and return
to normal.
(b) No data on the resistance to dimethyl sulfoxide of natural rubber, neoprene, nitrile rubber, or vinyl
materials are available; the manufacturer of the substance recommends the use of butyl rubber gloves.
The table was taken from Prudent Practices for Handling Chemicals in Laboratories, National Research
Council, National Academy Press Washington, D.C., P. 159-160 (1981).
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