Choosing The Correct Gloves
It is important to select gloves with the appropriate level of
CE certification but don’t forget to consider:
- Lower skin allergy risk – Look for synthetic materials such as nitrile instead of latex
- Prevent skin irritation – Look for Non Detectable (ND) chemical accelerator levels
- Reduce contamination risk – Ask for trend data around cleanliness
- Ensure correct size and fit – There should be a range of sizes available
- Select features for performance – Grip, length, dexterity, comfort, insulation
PPE Category III gloves are a minimum requirement for personal protection in applications where there is exposure to chemicals or micro-organisms. It does not mean protection against all chemicals and micro-organisms. Assess the risk and refer glove performance data for EN374-1 and -2 test standards.
How to assess micro-organism risk:
For Viruses and Bacteria <500nm or Hazard Group 3-4 biological agents, all criteria must be met:
- AQL 0.65 / EN374-2:2003 level 3
- Pass ISO 16604:2004 and ASTM F1671-97b
- Cuff Length 30cm with Double Donning
EN374-2:2003
Micro-organism protection:
Standard EN374-2 requires glove manufacturers to select and monitor against an Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) for pinhole defects.
Lower AQL = lower probability of pinhole defects. A pinhole carries the risk for a micro-organism to pass through the glove.
- Assess micro organism risk
- Define hazard classification of the biological agent
- Define size of micro-organism
- Select glove with appropriate Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) – the lower the AQL, the higher the level of protection:
- AQL 1.5 = Level 2
- AQL 0.65 = Level 3