Category: Product Information & Education

Gloves protect from direct contact of a microorganism and indirectly from a contaminated surface. Healthcare workers (HCWs) should wear disposable gloves during all patient care activities where there is a potential to be exposed to different hazards—such as contact with saliva, blood and mucous membranes. They should also be wearing gloves when handling items or surfaces contaminated as well as infectious materials and/or sharps. Healthcare workers should be provided with appropriate gloves to meet the needs for their protection.

The type of glove selected is based on a risk assessment of the anticipated task and exposures. Glove material, durability, quality, thickness and fit varies. The risk assessment and criteria for selection should be based on the setting, likelihood of exposure to blood/bodily fluids, anticipated length of use, stress that will be placed on glove, penetration time of substances and need for optimal tactility. HCW’s also need to be aware of potential allergens and irritant contact dermatitis. The gloves need to be tested against the drug that is being administered. For example, chemotherapy tested gloves have been approved to prevent against cytotoxic agent penetration. (PHO, 2019).

While there are several types of gloves and materials, we will focus on the most popular—nitrile, latex, vinyl, neoprene and utility (puncture resistant). Latex gloves are made from a natural rubber, derived from trees. They provide great comfort, dexterity, work well with biological and water-based materials and are cost-effective. However, latex can be allergen for some people, and it can also be difficult to detect puncture holes on these gloves.

Nitrile gloves are made from a synthetic rubber and are the most popular among HCWs. As being latex-free, nitrile is superior for wearing for extended periods of time, most puncture resistant, easy to detect holes and are great for solvents, oils, greases and provide great resistance to many chemicals.

Neoprene gloves are very similar to nitrile, as derived from a synthetic rubber. They offer protection against acids, bases, alcohol and other peroxides and hydrocarbons.

Vinyl gloves are made from synthetic materials (PVC) and provide minimal protection and must be used for short durations only. Utility/puncture resistant gloves are usually nitrile material and are recommended for reprocessing and sterilization procedures but, these come with many guidelines for correct use. When choosing gloves for reprocessing, ensure gloves are long enough to cover wrists and forearms; are of sufficient weight and thickness to be highly tear-resistant; and allow adequate dexterity of the fingers. For this type of procedure, disposable gloves are recommended. If reusable gloves are used, they must be decontaminated daily, inspected for tears and holes and be dedicated to a specific individual.^1,2 (CSA Standard Z314-2018)

Here are some other facts that are important to be reminded of: disposable gloves are single use only and must be changed in between each patient. Gloves must fit correctly (not too big with loose material or too tight) and selection must be based on procedure and task to be performed. While non-sterile gloves can be used for most procedures, sterile surgical gloves should be worn during invasive surgical procedures. Remember to check if the gloves are compatible with specific chemicals and refer to the manufacturer for details on quality levels.

http://www.supermaxcanada.com/gloves/chemical-resistance-chart/

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Resources:

Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). (2020). Glove Selection Guide. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2020.

Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). (2020). Recommendations for the Prevention, Detection and Management of Occupational Contact Dermatitis in Health Care Settings. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2019.

Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee. Best practices for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of medical equipment/devices. 3rd ed. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; May 2013.

https://ehs.berkeley.edu/workplace-safety/glove-selection-guide

https://www.scc.ca/en/standardsdb/standards/29301

For keeping your hands safe & healthy – not all gloves are created equally. Your choice of protection products depends on the type of jobs you have to do with them. Health care workers need to choose gloves that are approved for use in their field and labelled as medical (examination) grade. Industrial workers have requirements for choices of gloves that offer them protection and keep themselves safe as well, but these are not typically labelled.

Being a global leader, Aurelia Gloves Canada exceeds all ASTM (American Society for Testing and materials) and AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) industry standards. We never compromise on quality and continuously strive to produce the best products on the market.

What are the Industry Standards?

During the manufacturing process of gloves, an AQL level is determined. The AQL standard is defined as the “quality level that is the worst tolerable” in terms of pinholes and defects risk. The lower the AQL level, the more protection you have as the wearer. The AQL standard below will help explain what limit is necessary for the application or intention for use.

• Surgical Grade – 1.5 AQL
• Medical Grade – 2.5 AQL
• Industrial Grade – 4.0 AQL

All Aurelia gloves are manufactured have an AQL of 1.5. They are also leached: after the drying of the gloves, they are put through a leaching line to remove residual chemicals and proteins from the surface of the gloves. Aurelia gloves are leached 2x more than industry standard. This process of chemical cleaning removes bioburden and any chemical residual, which results in a cleaner and higher quality glove.

What are fillers and what do they do when added during the manufacturing process?

Fillers like clays, calcium, carbonate and silicates are added into glove materials during the manufacturing process to bring material cost down. However, this process affects glove strength and durability. The industry standard for fillers added is 18-25% or more. Aurelia gloves have 0% fillers added for all gloves under 4.0 mil (thin and medium thickness gloves). Gloves over 4.0 mil (thicker gloves) have less than 5% fillers added.

http://info.eagleprotect.com/inflation-test-video

As a manufacturer, Aurelia Gloves Canada has a commitment to make the highest quality gloves while keeping at a price point that is competitive on the market. When you purchase products from the Aurelia brand, you purchase a higher quality brand for an affordable price.

Hands are one of the most important body parts containing microorganisms and spreading diseases. There are two types of microbial flora on the hands.

Resident skin flora—consisting of microorganisms that colonize the skin and become permanent residents. They can never really be removed completely, even with a surgical scrub—but can be reduced.

They can actually exist several layers beneath the surface in the stratum corneum. Although they are capable of causing infection when spread to others, transient skin flora are the real culprits. Transient skin flora are a major source of contamination and disease spread, but do not stay on the hands for long periods (they come and go). Fortunately, the microorganisms here can be removed during handwashing and/or hand sanitizing.

So, how should one clean their hands?

The mechanical action of handwashing with antimicrobial soap and water is important to remove dirt, debris or any visible soil. When hands are not visibly soiled, hand sanitizing has been proven to be effective in hand antisepsis, but only when performed correctly, by rubbing hands until the gel/foam dries).

Happy Hand Antisepsis!

Sources:

Miller, C. & Palenik, C (2005). Infection Control & Management of Hazardous Materials for the Dental Team. St. Louis. Elsevier Mosby.

The way healthcare and other primary necessity workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) during a patient or customer interaction is crucial. In healthcare and other primary necessity industries such as public safety, sanitary products and food manufacturing, pharmacies, grocery stores, transports and logistics, workers should wear PPE, including the proper use of gloves. Gloves are to be used as a single use item and are not meant or designed to be used for multiple use, prolonged use or daily use. And in order to provide effective protection, gloves have to be worn following a specific safety protocol. The wearing of gloves when going out for day to day activities is not recommended for the general public because it is not effective to protect against COVID-19 for this type of usage.

Here is why gloves won’t protect you: our hands are not a portal of entry for the Coronavirus (and many other viruses). Intact skin actually serves as a barrier to several infectious diseases. The route of entry is through our mucous membranes—eyes, nose and mouth. It is inevitable not to keep our hands away from touching our faces, as the average number is 20 times per hour! Wearing gloves can give us a false sense of security as the virus can stick even better to the surface of a glove versus our hands (Dr S.Gupta).

So if you are not involved in primary necessity activities and want to mitigate all contamination risk from the things you touch with your hands, (1) wash your hands regularly, (2) sanitize all surfaces that are being touched, (3) avoid touching your face at all times, and (4) avoid using disposable gloves. Just like face masks, the supplies for this type of PPE come in increasingly limited quantities, and it is crucial that all workers in healthcare and other primary necessity industries have access to them at all times to help contain the virus and solve the epidemic.

For more information on the topic, check out this video of Dr Samir Gupta talking about PPE for general public.

To know more about Aurelia Gloves Canada, visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with company news and blog articles.

Monica Morgan

Sources:
Miller, C. & Palenik, C (2005). Infection Control & Management of Hazardous Materials for the Dental Team. St. Louis. Elsevier Mosby.

Gupta, S (2020). CBC News National. Why gloves won’t do much to protect you from COVID-19? Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx1lidaX1qk&feature=youtu.be