The advent of COVID-19 as a new and important public health hazard has recently heightened the significance of medical exam gloves. They are crucial because of the role they play in protecting medical staff from potential exposure to harmful bacteria and viruses. In addition, they aid in preventing the spread of infection between patients during medical operations.
Exam gloves aren’t just useful in the medical sector; they’re also crucial for any job that involves handling chemicals or other potentially dangerous substances. In this piece, we’ll go over some tips for selecting the most appropriate medical exam gloves for your needs.
Learn The Dangers
Managers and safety staff should take the time to assess the unique dangers that exist at each workplace. Extreme temperatures, sharp items like broken glass, and exposure to toxic substances that may be absorbed through the skin are the three main dangers that every employer should be aware of.
It can be a top concern in the plumbing sector, where various ball valves types are produced from hot liquid metal or even glassware factories.
Before purchasing safety gloves for employees, businesses should do a comprehensive workplace risk assessment. A safety professional should be consulted if an employer lacks the knowledge to recognize these dangers.
Maintenance And Safekeeping
Gloves should be kept in a clean, dry place, away from direct sunlight and moisture. To achieve this, gloves should be kept in a dry, room-temperature environment. When an employee’s shift ends, they should return the gloves to their designated spot. The gloves will last longer and be in better condition because of this extra precaution.
Padding For The Gloves
Manufacturers, before handing over the gloves to the medical gloves supplier, may employ inexpensive fillers such as calcium carbonate, silicate, or clay in the gloves. It is possible that the efficacy and longevity of the protection will suffer as a result of the use of these fillers.
Because of their increased thickness and padding, industrial gloves may include as much as 25% fillers. On the other hand, medical gloves are required to be thinner in order to meet FDA guidelines. This is because of the same reason why those are safer.
Check-In At The Start Of Each Shift
Each shift should begin with a quick check of the workers’ and managers’ safety gloves. Potential issues can be spotted with a simple visual check by all members of the team. If there are any wounds, tears, or other vulnerabilities in the gloves, it is imperative that everyone keeps a vigilant eye out for the safety of the workers.
Color change and rigidity are also potential red flags. As a result, the outer material may no longer protect the wearer from invading chemicals and fumes. The gloves should prevent any air from escaping or entering.
One method for ensuring that a glove doesn’t leak is for workers to fill it with water or compressed air, secure the wrist, and then remove the glove. Invest in a new pair of protective gloves if fluid or air leaks out of the side.
The Powder Coating Should Be Sought
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued rules prohibiting the use of powder coatings on surgical and medical gloves. This white powder has a lubricating effect, making it easy to put on and remove gloves without causing any damage.
However, this powder has the potential to aggravate existing skin allergies in the user or anybody else who comes into contact with it. In addition to the cornstarch, the other powder varieties may potentially exacerbate asthma symptoms.
The gloves are now chlorinated or polymer-coated to make them smooth and comfortable to wear.
Size Matters When Buying Gloves
It goes without saying that you need to ensure you get the correct glove size, but we’ll say it anyway. If you don’t do that, you’re practically guaranteeing that your investment won’t perform as well or be as secure as it could be.
To determine the correct glove size, you should wrap the measuring tape around your palm where it is the largest. This is the area of your thumb directly above the “V.” Your size is the sum of those numbers (in inches). As an illustration, if the measurement is 8 inches, that makes you a size 8. If you can, try to take the measurement with the hand that you use most frequently.
After taking your measurements, use the chart that comes with the glove to find out if you need a small, medium, large, or extra-large size. Sizes 7-8 are considered small, 8-9 are considered medium, 9-10 are considered large, and 10-11 are considered extra-large.
Oversized gloves can be easily yanked off your hand at inopportune times. It can make handling various stuff difficult. For example, if you work in a digital door lock supplier firm, transporting calibrated locks from one spot to another might be challenging as you won’t be able to grip properly due to the wrong glove size.
Conclusion
Choosing the right pair of medical gloves is as crucial as choosing the right equipment to perform any important tasks. They protect your hands from unforeseen dangers and make things easy to handle and transport. The market is full of variety, but it is your job to choose the right product.
