DISPOSABLE CLEANROOM GLOVES | WHAT ARE THE CHOICES ?

August 18, 2017 | Cleanroom Supplies Blogger

Disposable cleanroom gloves – which type to select?

Wearing gloves in a controlled environment such as a cleanroom, laboratory or food production area serves the following purposes:

• Protect the user from contamination of chemicals or cleaning agent
• Protect the product from contamination

The purpose in both cases is to form an effective barrier between your hands and the process.

But with so many choices, what do you need to know?

Latex or Nitrile

If you have latex allergies, find out the facts in our Blog:  Latex Allergy – Facts You Need To Know.

Nitrile gloves are free from natural latex and are superior in quality, They are safe to use if you have Latex Alergies.

Nitrile gloves are made from a synthetic, nitrile rubber. Blue or purple nitrile glove material provides an added degree of strength.

Are Medical Grade Examination Gloves The Same as Cleanroom Gloves?

For lower grade clean room applications, medical examination gloves may appear on the surface to be an adequate choice. But consider the following too…

Powdered Disposable Gloves or Powder Free?

Some industries use powdered disposable gloves. However, in UK hospitals and cleanrooms, gloves need to be powder free.

The powder is a part of the manufacturing process of disposable gloves. Powder Free gloves are cleaned of the powder by a chlorination process. The chlorination process, not only removes the powder, but also kills bacteria on the surface of the glove. However, contamination during packing is an issue if this is not done in a sterile or clean environment. In addition, many manufacturers only chlorinate the internal surface of the glove, so bacteria on the outer surface will remain.

Sterile or Non Sterile?

For true sterility – gloves should be Gamma Irradiated. If you are operating a GMP cleanroom facility or in a surgical environment – customers can select from our Sterile Disposable Cleanroom Gloves.

Click here to view the free Disposable Glove Selection FlowChart Guide

Sterility is one issue … particle contamination is another …

Why Is the Packaging Important?

For cleanroom use, the packaging is very important. Medical examination gloves are not suitable for most GMP cleanroom use. Standard cardboard dispenser boxed medical examination gloves, used in medical and dental applications are NOT sterile.

For GMP cleanroom use, bagged gloves can be used, however, a far safer option is to select individual pair, pouch wrapped gloves. They are available in easy tear pouches and should be used in pharmaceutical cleanrooms. The pouch materials are designed to be non-shedding. They are available in sterile and non sterile form.

Standard Length Or Extended Cuff?

Extended cuff gloves provide added protection to allow the wrist and lower arm to be completely protected. The extended cuff integrates well with cleanroom garments such as coveralls or laboratory coats.

BioClean BIOTAC extended cuff, disposable cleanroom gloves – 300mm or 12″ extended cuff are a great choice. ?Customers Can Buy These In Our WebShop

What Gloves Should Be Worn When Working With Cytotoxic Chemicals or Drugs?

A compounder is preparing chemotherapy treatments within a medical isolator.

Drugs (and other chemicals) can permeate an otherwise waterproof glove. This can lull clinicians into a false sense of security. In particular, most medical gloves have a very low resistance to the accidental spillage of cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs. This could pose a significant risk to clinical staff. Our cytotoxic resistant cleanroom gloves aree different; their unique sulphur free, accelerator free formulation gives it remarkable resistance to the most aggressive chemotherapy drugs (including Carmustine and ThioTEPA). Excellent chemical resistance – certified for use in laboratories and resistant to common hospital chemicals

If you would like further guidance or product information, please feel free to Contact Us.