Keeping gloves and hands clean in the the kitchen or in a medical facility is extremely important to prevent harmful bacteria from coming in contact with food products and causing food contamination, or the spread of illness. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there about disposable gloves and how to use them. Here, we’ve compiled a list of “do’s” and “don’t’s” or facts and myths about disposable gloves to help keep users and customers safe.
Myth: You don’t need to change gloves after putting them on
Fact: Yes you do!
Simply wearing a disposable glove isn’t enough to prevent contamination, especially in food service settings where workers are working with a variety of food items. Gloves can become contaminated after workers touch surfaces such as door knobs, their face or hair, or after working with food items such as raw meat or fish. In each of those cases, gloves need to be changed immediately after to prevent contamination. Touching raw meat results in microorganisms on the glove that could make customers sick if gloves aren’t changed before working with another food item such as fresh salads or produce. As a general rule, gloves in foodservice locations should be changed every two hours to help prevent gloves from becoming contaminated or worn out and torn.
Myth: Any disposable glove can be used for any job
Fact: No, not all disposable gloves are the same
Disposable gloves come in a variety of materials, powdered or powder-free styles, thicknesses, and grades (foodservice, industrial, or medical) that all impact performance and the tasks the glove is best suited for. GloveNation provides foodservice, industrial, and medical grade latex, nitrile, vinyl, poly, and C2 Hybrid gloves which all have their own features and uses. For example, nitrile gloves tend to be thicker, giving them more resistance to chemicals. Poly gloves on the other hand, feature a looser fit and are more designed for quick tasks making them less resistant to chemicals.
When looking for a disposable glove to suit a specific need, be sure to find out the material, grade, and specific features that are needed.
Myth: All glove allergies are related to latex
Fact: No, although latex allergies are more common
It may be easy to assume that latex is the only glove allergy, and the easy solution is to use powder-free gloves or other options such as vinyl and nitrile. This is not the case as users can also be allergic to nitrile gloves due to accelerators or chemicals that are used during manufacturing. In these cases, accelerator free gloves such as our nitrile Grape Grip gloves should be used.
Myth: You don’t need to wash your hands if you wear disposable gloves
Fact: Yes, you do!
It is recommended that users wash their hands before donning disposable gloves to help prevent contamination or the spread of viruses. Should the glove tear or rip during use, washing hands prior to donning gloves may help to reduce the risk of bacteria or contamination. If hands aren’t washed prior to donning gloves, gloves may become contaminated and pose a danger to food items or patients during medical procedures. Gloves cannot replace hand washing and are more effective at promoting a safe and sanitary environment if they are used with hand washing.
To find the right glove for your needs, be sure to check out GloveNation’s quality selection of latex, nitrile, vinyl, poly, and C2 Hybrid gloves.