Protecting hand with gloves
While working in laboratories and using chemicals one must make use of gloves to protect their skin. This is important why? Because even a drop of chemical on your hands can be hazardous.
It is important that you make use of chemical resistant gloves for this purpose to promote full safety. This is also mentioned in the lab safety rules, to wear gloves to avoid any serious accidents.
Choosing the right gloves according to the environment you are working in is extremely important. This can help protect you if anything goes wrong. Choosing the right glove can be a very difficult step at times because firstly, you need to identify the environment you are working in and also make sure that the gloves you are using are environment-friendly. You don’t just need to focus on the right size of the gloves but also the material they are made of and if it is suitable for the environment you are working in.
Certain gloves do not work with a particular acid or a chemical but may work best with other acids and chemicals. There is no universal glove as such that can work in every environment with every chemical.
Gloves can be expensive to buy at times depending upon the material you are looking for however, you can always find them in used lab equipment where they are cleaned properly and can be used again.
Types of Gloves
When you are done figuring out the application of chemicals in different areas and fields you need to see how well your gloves go with these chemicals. The glove material is not only different in how they are manufactured but also how they help protect you from the chemicals, in their properties, there plasticity, there diameter, etc.
The two things that you need to keep in your mind while purchasing gloves for yourself are as under:
- Permeation
- Degradation
Permeation
Permeation is a process in which the chemicals permeate through your gloves and reach the skin of your hands and sometimes may also be absorbed by the skin and enter your bloodstream. This can be hazardous for the person who got in contact with the chemicals. Thus, it is important to keep this point in mind and buy the gloves accordingly.
Degradation
Degradation may be defined as any changes that might occur in the shape of the gloves when they come in contact with a certain chemical. Certain gloves do not work against chemicals and can be dangerous to use.
Following is a list of the type of gloves that one may use while working in the chemical laboratory:
- Nitrile
- Latex
- Neoprene
- Butyl
- PVA
- PVC
Nitrile
Talking about nitrile gloves, they are known for their resistance against chemicals. They can be found easily as they are not very expensive compared to other types of gloves. Nitrile gloves are used in several chemical laboratories as they have several applications.
Nitrile gloves are not to be used with certain types of chemicals such as:
- Oxidizing acids
- Ketones
- Organic chemicals that include nitrogen in them
Nitrile gloves should never be used with fire as they are poor fire resistant’s.
Latex
Latex gloves are made up of rubber also known as latex. These are the cheapest gloves that are available all around the world. These gloves are not very much resistant when it comes to using them with chemicals. However, they are used in industries such as food and medical industries. These can help to protect against diseases that may spread through blood.
Latex gloves have a kind of powder in them which may cause an allergy and may cause skin rashes.
Neoprene
Neoprene gloves are known for their mind-blowing resistance with chemicals that can be dangerous if they come in contact with your skin. This also includes
- Alcohol
- Acid
- Ink
- Oil
The other name for neoprene is acid gloves as they are extremely good at protecting you from hazardous chemicals. Neoprene should not be used with inorganic acids.
Butyl
Butyl gloves are very expensive gloves which are considered to be a limitation for using them while working in labs. However, they are known to be the best kind of gloves when it comes to managing gases, for instance, chlorine etc. these are mainly used in the military during wars as the gases cannot seep into the gloves.
PVC
PVC gloves also known as polyvinyl gloves are one of the major equipment’s that are used in petroleum industries. They are not very expensive and can be disposed of. These gloves are known for their durability and resistance against sharp instruments. They have good resistance against chemicals as compared to other types of gloves. PVC gloves should not be used with concentrated acids and chemicals.