The relative merits of nitrile, latex and vinyl as a barrier to transmission of infectious agents, especially viruses, had been examined by studies. For being a successful barrier, a particular material must prevent penetration. Such as the passage of pathogens, through closures, permeable materials, seams, and pinholes or other faultiness in the barrier material. When penetration happens in a medical glove, it is through imperfection in the material, like pinholes, tears, etc. Other important factors in barrier efficiency contain the resistance of a glove material to mechanical stress. Resistance to chemical collapse by agents such as disinfectants and alcohol used to prepare and clean an operating room is also important. Glove quality is appraised in order to guarantee strength, durability, and reliability during clinical use.

Researchers made a lot of studies about gloves’ integrity. They have found that virus penetration happened in 5 – 10% of control gloves, whether latex or vinyl. Gloves were subjected to three different levels of use designed to imitate glove stresses during clinical patient care.

When vinyl and latex gloves were given needlestick punctures meant to serve as positive controls to measure virus leakage, an unexpected result occurred in this study. Visual and viral leaks is formed only in the vinyl gloves, and not in any of the latex gloves. The researchers ascribed this result to the elastic resealing property of latex.

Other studies have used dye exclusion to estimate glove barrier protection properties. In another study, vinyl and latex gloves were subjected to stresses designed to simulate 15 minutes of clinical activity in an intensive care unit. When tested for dye exclusion, testers found that a failure rate of 53% for vinyl gloves, compared to 3% for latex gloves.

Nitrile gloves are the most protective gloves when they compared with vinyl and latex gloves. Nitrile gloves are prefered by healthcare workers and patients more than other types of medical gloves because of their barrier protection properties.

The incidence of pre-existing pinholes for latex gloves was 0% for the non-sterile surgical latex glove type and 3% for the powdered latex examination glove type, with pinholes located on the thumb, middle finger and ring finger. Of the nitrile gloves evaluated, three types were assessed to have no pre-existing pinhole defects. One type had a 2% incidence of pre-existing pinhole defects — one pinhole located on the thumb region of the glove and one on the ring finger portion of the glove. The fifth nitrile glove type had one pre-existing pinhole defect located on the middle finger.

All glove types examined met the European Standard. There was no statistically prominent difference between glove types. Anyway, the nitrile gloves generally showed less pre-existing pinhole defects than the latex examination gloves.

1. Fit/ Comfort: Your gloves should fit you well and feel comfortably. Latex gloves fit the user hands very well, due to its high level of elasticity and memory. Nitrile gloves vary in softness and flexibility. Some are comfortable and fit well, whereas some are stiff and not flexible. Polyurethane gloves are soft, flexible and exert virtually no strain on the user hands. Vinyl gloves are usually baggy in fit, but are soft and comfortable.
2. Protection: You wear gloves for protection. Therefore, choose the gloves that best protect you for the task you are to perform. While working in a high-risk environment where you may be in contact with blood borne pathogens or hazardous substances, wear good quality latex, nitrile or polyurethane exam gloves. Vinyl exam gloves can be used in non-high risk applications.
3. Allergy concerns: Latex allergies have become a concern, especially in the healthcare industry. If you are sensitive to latex, avoid all latex products altogether and use only non-latex exam gloves, such as polyurethane, nitrile and vinyl. If you choose to use latex gloves, you should only use powder free latex gloves with reduced protein content.On the other hand, if you suffer from Type IV Chemical Hypersensitivity, switching from latex gloves to non-latex gloves may not alleviate the situation, because these chemicals are added in the process of making all types of gloves including both latex and non-latex.

You may be like many people the world over who has a definite concern about the environment. Therefore, when you select products to use – including safety gloves – you make your decision at least in part considering what impact a particular product will have on the environment.

If you utilize and wear safety gloves with a good deal of regularity you probably are concerned about the impact that protective or safety gloves can have on the environment. Through this article you are provided an overview of different considerations pertaining to nitrile gloves and the environment. Armed with this information you will be in the best possible position to ascertain whether or not using nitrile gloves makes sense for you.

Latex Gloves and the Environment

As mentioned a moment ago, latex gloves are in use widely today … and have been for a significant period of time. Indeed, latex gloves – because of the way they are manufactured – are used in very high numbers. Not particularly known for durability, latex gloves are replaced time and time again – even during the course of a single procedure, situation or what have you.

Therefore, the volume of latex gloves that are ending up in landfills is huge. While there are no specific statistics, the fact is that a significant number of latex gloves are ending up discarded each and every hour.

Worse yet, because latex gloves oftentimes are utilized in medical and health care settings, a significant volume of latex gloves are contaminated and require special disposal. Once again, a great percentage of these special disposal sites and venues are filled with latex gloves. And, there is a real concern amongst professionals regarding this volume.

In the final analysis, latex gloves really are having a notable impact on the environment. Experts tend to agree that these disposed latex gloves are having a negative impact on the environment and they recommend that alternative types of gloves be utilized starting today.

In this regard, a considerable number of those individuals who are concerned about the impact that latex gloves are having on the environment are recommending the use of nitrile gloves.

Nitrile Gloves and the Environment

The reality is that when contrasted with other protective gloves (particularly the widely used latex gloves and commonly used vinyl gloves) nitrile gloves have a less significant impact on the environment. One of the reasons that nitrile gloves are less harmful to the environment rests in the fact that these products are made of substances that generally are less harmful to the environment.

Another of the reasons that nitrile gloves are proving themselves to be less harmful to the environment rests in the fact that these gloves are not used in the huge quantities that are utilized in the case of latex and even (in many instances) vinyl gloves. The fact is that because nitrile gloves are more durable than these other alternatives they last longer, they are damaged less often. Therefore, a person who needs to utilize these types of protective gloves necessarily and naturally will utilize nitrile gloves in far lesser quantities than is the case with alternative products.

Therefore, a smaller volume of nitrile gloves are ending up in landfills and in medical waste sites. These nitrile gloves, as a consequence, are being deemed far more environmentally friendly across the board. The fact is that for many environmentalists one of the primary areas of concern is the rate at which landfills and other waste depositories are being filled with items like latex and vinyl gloves and other products that simply do not degrade and revert to a non-polluting state in a short period of time. There is a real need to preserve the amount of space that is available in these waste depositories today and in the future.

Independent Evaluations of Nitrile Gloves

It is important to note that there have been independent evaluations associated with nitrile gloves and their impact on the environment. While certain groups and organizations have endorsed the use of nitrile gloves out of concerns for the environment, the fact is that there has been a great deal of independent research undertaken in regard to the impact nitrile gloves have on the environment.

In the end, environmental research is always fundamental when a consideration is being made as to the environmental impact of products that are being used by men and women the world over. It simply is not possible to make an appropriate evaluation of what type of products you should use – including nitrile gloves – absent these types of necessary and independent evaluations and companion research.

As an aside, the evaluation of the impact nitrile gloves have on the environment is ongoing. As a result, it is safe to say that the research that is being undertaken really is in depth and is covering all of the proverbial bases when it comes to nitrile gloves, the environment and the future of the planet.

Is there an Agreement Between Environmental Agencies and Nitrile Glove Manufacturers?

There have been some rumors surrounding environmental agencies and organizations and nitrile glove manufacturers and suppliers. These rumors suggest that there is some sort of relationship that has caused these agencies and organizations that has caused these endorsements. The underlying contention is that the praise that is being given to nitrile gloves as far as the environment is concerned is biased.

The fact is that while some of these agencies, organizations and groups have come to express approval when it comes to the fact that nitrile gloves have a lesser impact on the environment, this support does not arise out of some sort of illicit relationship between these agencies, organizations and groups and manufacturers and suppliers of nitrile gloves. As has been noted a moment ago within this article, there has been an appropriate amount of independent research associated with nitrile gloves and the impact that these protective products actually do have on the environment.

Included on the list of protective equipment, gear and clothing that must be afforded to all of the professionals in law enforcement are appropriate gloves. Historically, police officers, sheriff’s deputies and correctional officers – as well as others involved in different aspects of law enforcement – relied upon latex gloves in this regard. However, in this day and age, an increasing number of law enforcement professionals are coming to realize the significant benefits that can be realized through the use of nitrile gloves.

Through this informational article you are provided an overview as to why nitrile gloves are proving to be ideal items for those men and women who have dedicated themselves to careers in law enforcement. Armed with this information, you will be better able to appreciate the trend towards more and more law enforcement professionals making use of nitrile gloves each and every day … a solid trend that is expected to carry forth into the future.

Durability, Strength and Comfort

Law enforcement personnel absolutely need to have protective and safety gloves that they can rely upon. In this regard, protective gloves need to be durable, strong and comfortable in order to be of maximum effect. When all is said and done, perhaps no other type of protective glove product on the market today provides more durability, strength or comfort that does a nitrile glove. Therefore, an ever increasing number of law enforcement officers are starting to use nitrile gloves in the performance of their crucial professional duties.

When a law enforcement officer is in need of safety gloves it is crucial that these gloves be very durable. Law enforcement officers are called upon day in and day out to deal with challenging situations that require clubs that can be utilized in a number of different ways and for a number of different purposes. While latex gloves have proven themselves effective for some purposes and tasks, they simply do not equate with the durability of nitrile gloves.

It goes without saying that law enforcement officials deal with very difficult and even dangerous situations and individuals. Therefore, when it comes to encounters with these people – for example, during the arrest process – it is vital that protective gloves be strong and able to withstand tough encounters. Obviously, a safety or protective glove is of no real use if it cannot withstand a common situation, if it is not of proper strength.

The fact is that one of the most significant benefits associated with nitrile gloves is the fact that they are very strong in the their construction. Indeed, law enforcement personnel and experts in the field of law enforcement management and safety nearly universally agree that these types of gloves, nitrile gloves, are at the pinnacle of products when it comes to strength.

Finally, because law enforcement officers must wear protective gloves with a considerable degree fo frequency, it is important that these products be comfortable. Once again, many people maintain that nitrile gloves are setting the pace when it comes to the issue of comfort in regard to safety gloves. In point of fact, law enforcement officers who have utilized nitrile gloves have come to conclude that there really are no more comfortable safety and protective gloves that are on the market today.

Safety Considerations

Obviously, the primary reason for wearing safety gloves is to protect law enforcement officers when they are encountering offenders in the criminal justice system or in the criminal justice process. For example, because of the nature of these encounters, there is a real possibility that something negative can occur that can result in the exchange of bodily fluids or some other negative consequence. Absent safety gloves, a law enforcement officer can be at risk.

Through the years, law enforcement officers regularly could be seen wearing latex gloves as part of their overall protective gear. However, more recently, more law enforcement officers have taken to using nitrile gloves as part of their safety gear.

Throughout this article, reference has been made as to why more law enforcement officers are turning to nitrile gloves, including safety considerations. The fact is that research demonstrates that the design and material (nitrile rubber) that comprises nitrile gloves provide a better protective barrier than other common safety glove products that are on the market and available today.

In the final analysis, a law enforcement officer must have the best possible protective gear – including safety gloves – and it appears (based on research and actual use) that nothing beats nitrile gloves when it comes to safety issues in this day and age.

Nitrile Gloves and Appropriate Law Enforcement Attire

Law enforcement officers have strict rules in regard to their uniforms and the gear that they can wear in association with that uniform. While this might seem like a minor point, it really is not. Law enforcement officers are representing the arm of government that stands for the safety, security and welfare of the people. Therefore, when it comes to issues relating to their uniforms, professionalism is fundamental.

Nitrile gloves are particularly suited to maintaining the appropriate “look” required of a law enforcement officer in uniform. For example, nitrile gloves come in black which is a good color to be used with a law enforcement officer’s uniform in most instances.

Because of this fact, a growing number of law enforcement agencies are now using nitrile gloves as a matter of routine – and in order to maintain proper looking attire for their officers. Moreover, it is expected that an ever increasing number of law enforcement agencies around the world are starting to make the use of nitrile gloves mandatory because of the manner in which the enhance and do not detract from a law enforcement uniforms.

But, nitrile gloves gave performance comparable with the latex. Lots of hospitals & laboratories are at present replacing the latex with the nitrile gloves, and some studies have also documented the reduction in incidence of the latex allergy while implementing this particular policy. It is imagined that more institutions can switch from making use of latex to the nitrile gloves in future.

The nitrile gloves have got diverse physical properties to the latex that can affect dexterity of its user. The recent research has also shown that the dexterity are adversely affected by use of the latex as well as chemical protective nitrile gloves, type of containment tools used, and as well by making use of wrong glove size also there has been implication that the nitrile gloves can produce finger & hand fatigue after a while on account of inflexibility of nitrile glove material.

The medical gloves also come in wide range of colors from green to be white, making one of the unique challenges for the work environments. Lots of colors of the medical gloves will confuse the users and will result in the problems from making use of wrong kinds of glove.

For instance, different makers of nitrile gloves can use diverse colors for the synthetic and the latex gloves that may cause irritations as well as allergic reactions in a few people. The synthetic gloves from the maker can be of green colored, whereas Manufacturer B eants to make them tan. The unsuspecting, and latex sensitive worker assuming all the green nitrile gloves are synthetic chooses a wrong kind of glove as well as develops irritation.

At present, manufacturers of the medical gloves are not bound by law in order to distinguish the gloves by different color. FDA will not address glove shade differentiation as the requirement. Nor does American Society for the Testing and the Materials International discuss color in the medical glove standards also some other glove related documents.

Disposable nitrile gloves are the most famous non-latex product and are made from the synthetic polymer, all these gloves do not have any protein thus they are less liable to cause annoyance & allergic reactions. They as well provide a very high degree of sensitivity, softness, feel and flexibility. Nitrile material also reacts to the body temperature as well as conforms to shape of hand, and making them very snug. The best blue color of nitrile glove as well serves the functional purpose — it also makes it very easy to spot the pinholes in an unlikely event, which they do puncture.