Do Vinyl Gloves Protect Against Chemicals

A 10 gauge glove equals 10 mils or 0 010 inches.

Do vinyl gloves protect against chemicals. This chemical resistance chart is for advisory use only. The drawbacks of vinyl are it offers little protection from chemicals and micro organisms but makes these gloves perfect for handling non hazardous materials and chemicals. One of the first synthetic rubber materials on the market was pvc or vinyl. Glove thickness is stated in either mils or gauge.

They provide great protection for a low price and are great in low risk environments. These gloves are intended to be used only as a physical barrier against brief contact with chemicals and they need to be removed and discarded immediately after they become contaminated. Glove materials are evaluated on three criteria when exposed to chemicals. Nitrile chemical resistant gloves for example can provide protection from dirt.

Chemical resistant glove materials include latex leather nitrile goatskin vinyl neoprene and other manufactured materials for a variety of applications. However latex gloves are not very chemical resistant and are mainly used in the food and the medical industry because they don t protect well against bloodborne pathogens. Glove manufacturers generally state that doubling the thickness of a glove quadruples the breakthrough time of the chemical. Vinyl is also not very form fitting compared to latex or nitrile giving the wearer limited dexterity and a higher chance that the glove with catch and tear.

Cloth or other porous. The effect of this is two fold. Studies have highlighted the lack of cross linking of pvc molecules causing them to separate when flexed or stretched. Cynthia weston associate dean for clinical and outreach affairs at the college of nursing at texas a m university in college station adds to the list of gloves to avoid.

Due to the molecular structure of vinyl disposable gloves there are associated risks that limit their performance and affect barrier protection. Conditions exposure times chemical concentrations and residues may effect glove performance. Since then vinyl gloves have been a quality choice. Natural rubber or latex gloves are the most common type of glove used in occupational settings.

It is strongly advised that on site testing of all gloves is important to determining safe usage.