Diverse Industries that Use Nitrile Gloves

Using personal protective equipment or PPE is imperative across a diverse range of industries and sectors, and hand protection is by far the most commonly used form of PPE. With a variety of disposable glove options in terms of material used, it may not be clear whether latex, vinyl, nitrile, or another material is best for one’s specific needs.

Nitrile is an increasingly popular disposable glove material, for several reasons.

What are Nitrile Gloves?

A popular alternative to latex and derived from rubber, nitrile is a great glove option for people who are allergic or sensitive to latex, or who seek a stronger glove with greater material integrity.

These gloves are crafted from a synthetic (man-made) copolymer formed by combining butadiene and acrylonitrile.

Nitrile gloves are:

ü Stronger than latex

ü Chemically resistant to a wide range of substances

ü Highly puncture resistant

ü Durable

ü Waterproof

ü Greaseproof

ü Oil-proof

ü Flexible

ü Comfortable

ü Non-/low-allergenic

ü Low-sweat

ü Free of BPAs, Latex, Phthalate, Vinyl, and MBT

ü Often powder-free

Chemical Resistance

Nitrile gloves offer short-term resistance to splashes and chemical degradation against an array of substances. It is not resistant to all, however – so you need to ensure the material is suitable for your specific needs.

Nitrile Gloves Offer Protection Against incidental contact with spills, splashes, infectious microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and viruses; skin, blood, saliva), fuels, oils, petroleum products, weak acids, weak caustics, some organic solvents, and extended contact with some contaminated materials, certain hazardous substances, and sharps. The level of protection depends upon the glove’s thickness and appropriate use.

Who Uses Nitrile Gloves?

Many different industries use nitrile gloves in Australia.

·      Blue nitrile gloves are the most common and easily differentiated from latex gloves. These are commonly used in the medical and food service industries.

·      Black nitrile gloves are preferentially used by law enforcement to help differentiate themselves from medical professionals in a first responder situation. Postal workers also use black nitrile gloves to trace residues more easily.

·      Black nitrile gloves are also preferred for most trade-based jobs, as well as for hairstylists, piercers, and tattooists.

·      Auto mechanics do often prefer to use orange nitrile gloves for their Hi-Vis benefits in low light and confined workspaces.

·      Many surgical applications use different coloured gloves at the same time to help identify glove failure – a red glove may be worn under a blue glove to quickly flag if the integrity of the blue glove is compromised.

·      Food service workers use blue gloves as any glove debris will clearly be seen in most foods.

·      Gloves used for the administration of cytotoxic drugs (chemotherapy) are universally purple.

Conclusion

Disposable gloves are used across many sectors. Today, nitrile gloves are a cost-effective alternative to latex, and they offer an array of benefits to users in many different sectors. While they are extremely durable, they will eventually degrade, so should be stored away from heat and out of direct sunlight.

Nothing is 100% impermeable, and even nitrile will eventually enable the transmission of some chemicals. It’s important to change gloves regularly to suit your specific uses - but they are a great option for most applications.

Nitrile does not provide suitable protection against highly corrosive chemicals, concentrated acids, ketones, acetates, or aromatic solvents. These require the use of gloves made from materials such as neoprene, Norfoil, butyl, or Viton, as appropriate.

Nitrile gloves (providing they are not a chemical- or biohazard after use) are recyclable through TerraCycle in Australia.

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Created on Jul 5th 2023 09:27. Viewed 116 times.

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