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Choose The Right Chemical-Resistant Gloves

By: Mike Richards

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In various work spaces, there is a multitude of chemicals that employees can be exposed to. While nitrile gloves can be used with most jobs, unfortunately there isn't a single glove that will handle all possible needs. For that reason, it is crucial to know how to decide on chemical-resistant gloves that are appropriate with the chemicals in your place of work and will provide the appropriate protection for your workforce. This includes food service glovesand medical gloves as well.
The initial action in selecting a glove is deciding what you're trying to protect against.
· What chemical, or chemicals, are used in your workplace?

· Is it part of a blend, a single chemical used by itself, or single chemicals used in a cycle?

· What is the concentration of the chemical (i.e., how concentrated is it)?
· How long is the staff exposed to the chemical? Is the contact intermittent or constant?

· Other factors that require consideration: How much of the employee's arm above the glove will be exposed? How rough is the handling of the glove (for example, will the glove be used where the employee repeatedly grips jagged objects, abrading the glove?) Do you have staff that are allergic to latex?

Usually, this data is easily found by looking at the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for the chemical, reviewing labels, and watching the labor method.

After you've determined what you're shielding against, the next step is selecting the glove.

Because different manufacturers could use different processes and slightly different materials or material blends in producing their gloves, it is essential to base your glove choice on the manufacturer's recommendations and/or its chemical resistance guide.

1. First, you need to make a preliminary glove material choice. You can do this by reviewing to see if the MSDS makes a suggestion for the material type or by checking a "generic" glove material chart. Frequently, you will find that more than one material will be successful for the chemical of interest. You want to note each of the materials because if you cannot get a glove in a particular style you want in one material, you may be able to find it in another option that will provide similar chemical protection.

2. Once you've made a preliminary material selection, narrow your manufacturer choices using the feature aspects (style) of the glove you would like—sleeve length, without or without a grip pattern, etc.

3. After you've narrowed your manufacturer options, consult the manufacturer's guide for your precise chemical. The manufacturer's data will normally supply you with three ratings concerning how well the glove works with a particular chemical.

· Permeation rate records how rapidly a chemical passes through a material at the molecular level. Think of it as a slow leak, similar to how gases bleed through plastic soda bottles making soda on the grocery store shelf go flat. The thickness of a material can affect the permeation rate; the thicker the material, the slower the permeation rate. Permeation rates are reported differently by various manufacturers. However, generally, the higher the figure, the more rapidly the chemical passes through the material. If the amount of time it takes for the chemical to infuse the material is close to or less than the amount of time your employee will have on the glove, it is not a safe choice for your application.

· Degradation means the physical alterations to the material caused by the chemical, which can include swelling, stiffening, wrinkling, and changes in color. The slower degradation occurs in the use of a chemical, the more protective the material is for that specific chemical. There are no standardized tests for degradation; each manufacturer generally has its own test. If gloves are only going to be worn for a few minutes and only once, it is unlikely that they will have enough time to degrade. However, if gloves are going to be used repeatedly or continuously, degradation becomes an critical factor in your glove selection.

· Breakthrough time is, essentially, how much time it takes for a chemical to start to soak through a material. The greater the breakthrough time, the more protective the material is for that particular chemical. Breakthrough is measured using a uniform test (ASTM F739). Like permeation, if the breakthrough time is close to or less than the amount of time the glove will be in use, it is not a safe selection for your use.

One thing to keep in mind is that the data is based on uncontaminated chemicals, not mixtures. When chemicals are combined, their physical properties and permeation rates may change. For this reason, you should make your choice on the chemical part with the shortest breakthrough time. If you are confused as to whether a glove will work for a specific chemical or mixture, contact the glove manufacturer.
If you are trying to locate a chemical resitant glove for various uses at your facility, it helps to make a chart of the chemicals for the different applications and glove manufacturer information in order to help make it simpler to conclude whether or not the glove will satisfy the requirements of multiple applications.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

About The Author: Mike Richards is a risk management expert specializing in protective safety equipment and health safety equipment.

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