Disposable glove

Disposable gloves cover the hands in order to briefly protect them from external influences or sensitive living beings or materials from the microorganisms or particles on the skin. They are disposed of immediately after use.

People in health care , in food production, processing and in the sale of unpackaged fresh goods, in gastronomy or in communal catering use disposable gloves to protect themselves and others from infections . On the other hand, the protective gloves are used in everyday laboratory work in biotechnological laboratories, in chemical laboratories, for cleaning work, for the preparation of meals, in the hairdressing trade for dyeing hair , for semiconductor production in clean rooms and for other activities. The most common materials from which disposable gloves are made are natural latex , nitrile , vinyl and polyethylene (PE film).

Shapes and sizes

Disposable gloves are available in different sizes, e.g. B. XS-XL; A distinction is made between gloves that can be worn on the left as well as on the right hand (medical examination gloves and chemical protection gloves), and gloves with more precise, anatomically shaped sizes, in which a left and a right hand is packed in a pair. Surgical gloves are usually anatomically shaped.

qualities

Sterility and freedom from pathogens

In the case of medical disposable gloves, a distinction is made between sterile and pathogen-free (“low-germ” or “unsterile”) products. "Low in germs" in connection with the glove quality does not say anything about the microbial harmlessness, as "there is no requirement for the disposable glove taken directly from the original packaging with regard to the absence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms or with regard to a maximum permissible total microbial load." -sterile medical disposable gloves from the original packaging before delivery to the consumer, a total number of colonies of aerobic bacteria <100 CFU / 100 ml bulk liquid was determined, "which was thus well below the permissible limit value for drinking water".

Sterile gloves are required for various invasive procedures, such as: B. for puncturing a port catheter , during operations or for inserting a urinary catheter .

Pathogen-free medical gloves are mostly sold in packs of 100, sterile gloves are packaged in pairs. For both types, the user must disinfect their hands before putting on the gloves.

Material properties

Latex and nitrile gloves

While latex gloves have good resistance to many acids and alkalis, they are permeable to oils and many solvents. Nitrile gloves are more resistant to many chemicals, especially oils, but are just as permeable to many solvents such as e.g. B. acetone or dichloromethane . The penetration time also depends on the so-called wall thickness, which is usually not very large with disposable gloves. Another criterion for the choice of the material can be a latex allergy of the user, which can be triggered by the protein content of more than 30 μg / g in the natural latex through disposable gloves.

The use of latex gloves should be avoided by people with latex allergies. The use of such gloves with product contact in the food industry can be problematic because a latex allergy can be induced in the food consumer.

Polyethylene gloves

PE gloves are made of a material that can be used to produce crystal-clear foils so that the hand is clearly visible inside. Due to the lack of elasticity, the entry must be wide and cannot be flush with the arm even with the ideal size when the gloves are on. Polyethylene has a high resistance to acids and alkalis. High-density polyethylene (HDPE or PE-HD) in particular is also very resistant to fats, oils and alcohols.

Possible problem

Allergens and powder

Another differentiator is whether the gloves are powdered or not. Powdered gloves have the advantage that they can easily be put on even with sweaty or wet hands. In latex gloves, however, this powder can promote allergies to latex proteins. The reason for this is that the powder absorbs allergenic substances and these can then be whirled into the air when taken off and inhaled, creating a depot effect on the skin. The use of powdered medical disposable gloves made of latex (according to DIN EN 455) in healthcare is therefore no longer permitted. As an alternative to powder there are gloves with a synthetic inner coating, which also makes it easier to put on, or gloves made of vinyl (PVC) and nitrile. However, vinyl gloves contain potentially harmful plasticizers and are not mechanically stable.

Maceration

Wearing moisture-proof gloves for longer leads to a build-up of heat and moisture and to swelling of the horny layer , which causes maceration of the skin and leads to so-called washerwomen's hands . Long-term wear should therefore be avoided ( TRGS -401). According to TRBA 250, moisture-absorbing textile undergloves can be used when air-impermeable protective gloves are worn for long periods of time. Thin inner gloves made of cotton can be reused several times after a disinfection washing process. Recyclable cotton gloves. They are changed together with the protective glove.

perforation

The longer the wearing time or the more stressful the activity, the higher the risk of undetected perforations in the gloves used. The Working Group of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) therefore recommends that nitrile gloves be replaced after 15 minutes at the latest or e.g. B. to change after a patient wash.

contamination

As undetected perforations and incorrect removal of gloves can lead to unwanted contamination of the hands, hand disinfection must be carried out after removing the gloves. In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Robert Koch Institute issued recommendations for putting on and taking off personal protective equipment (PPE), including instructions on how to safely take off disposable protective gloves.

Areas of application

In Germany, a distinction is made between medical devices (MP) and personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical disposable gloves . As a medical product, disposable gloves are primarily used to protect the patient from infection, such as sterile surgical gloves. Protective gloves belonging to the PPE, such as B. unsterile examination gloves, on the other hand, only protect the wearer from chemical and physical risks as well as from biological agents. Since the new version of EU Directive 2007/47 / EC (2010), dual labeling of products for a dual purpose as MP and PPE as well as their corresponding double CE labeling has been possible. Disposable gloves that do not meet the quality criteria of the EN 455 and EN 374 series of standards should not be used when treating or caring for patients.

Ambulance service

Gloves that are used in the rescue service or in first aid are mostly non-sterile and primarily intended for self-protection, as are the disposable gloves according to DIN EN 455-1 and DIN EN 455-2, which must be carried in the vehicle first-aid kit.

laboratory

In the laboratory or clean room , gloves are not only used for self-protection. During sterile work, the use of gloves should also protect the samples or the material from contamination or enzymes that are secreted with the sweat.

Application in the health sector

Pathogen-free (so-called “low-germ” or “non-sterile”) medical disposable gloves are designed to protect the wearer from contamination with blood, secretions and excreta, including pathogens. They indirectly contribute to breaking chains of infection. PPE disposable gloves offer protection against the effects of chemicals. Sterile medical disposable gloves prevent the release of the pathogen from the hand of the wearer into aseptic areas.

According to the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention (KRINKO), wearing medical disposable gloves does not replace hygienic hand disinfection . Therefore, in the health sector, before putting on sterile or non-sterile disposable gloves, the same indications of the "five-moment concept" apply to hand disinfection as without using gloves: if there is direct patient contact, aseptic activities, contact with potentially infectious material or with the immediate patient environment and after Patient contact. Hand disinfection must also be carried out after putting it down. The change of disposable gloves should take place parallel to the indications for hand disinfection.

Disinfection of gloved hands

Gloved hands can also be disinfected under certain circumstances. For example, frequent glove changes are required, but "experience has shown that it is difficult to implement or the change leads to an interruption of the work flow"; z. B. in contact with differently contaminated areas of the body on the same patient, "possibly even with successive blood samples from several patients. "

requirement is, that

the specific workflow does not allow time for the disinfected hands to air dry after disinfection before putting on the new gloves
the glove has no visible perforation and is not visibly contaminated with blood, secretions or excreta
The manufacturer of the gloves and the manufacturer of the hand disinfectant do not provide any information that would prevent the glove from being disinfected
the glove is chemical-resistant according to EN 374 [294], whereby the test of the so-called breakthrough time of 30 minutes should include at least one alcohol
the gloves are only used during care on the same patient and
be taken after completion of the respective activity.