Whether conducting experiments or analyzing test results in hospital settings, gloves are a must-have for any laboratory setting. From latex and nitrile to vinyl, GloveNation has exam/medical grade gloves to suit any laboratory need.
Healthcare Settings
When dealing with patient samples or carrying out tests, gloves should always be worn. Gloves in these settings help to protect users against parasites, infections, bloodborne pathogens, and bodily fluids. Medical or exam grade gloves are ideal for healthcare laboratory tasks as they provide the protection needed to prevent contamination or contact with viruses or infection. Latex, nitrile, and vinyl medical grade gloves are available.
Nitrile Black Widow gloves can give users a comfortable fit.
General Laboratories
Conducting experiments in the lab also requires the use of gloves due to the risk of exposure to high heat, chemicals, or other harmful substances. It may be easy to assume that in these settings, gloves would not need to be changed as much as users in healthcare settings who are at a higher risk of coming in contact with viruses or bloodborne pathogens. This is not the case. Gloves should be changed after coming in contact with chemicals or substances to avoid harmful chemicals from being spread over computers and other lab equipment and infecting others. It is also important to be aware of where users are placing their hands. Wiping hands or eyes after coming in contact with chemicals can be extremely dangerous and harmful, and contaminate gloves and users further.
Those working in these laboratories are also at risk of coming in contact with a variety of harmful substances and chemicals. Carcinogens, oxidizers, sensitizers/irritants, solvents, and a variety of other substances all require gloves to ensure users safety while in use.
Carcinogens such as carbon tetrachloride are most compatible with nitrile gloves. According to our Glove Chemical Resistant Chart, latex gloves have a “poor” resistance, vinyl “fair” and nitrile “good.”
Oxidizers such as nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide may also be used in lab settings. Latex gloves have a “good” resistance against nitric acid 20% while vinyl and nitrile gloves have a “fair” resistance. Latex gloves have a “good” resistance to hydrogen peroxide, vinyl “poor” and nitrile “excellent.”
Sensitizers/irritants such as acetone and acetic acid can cause an inflammation or sensitivities in users who are exposed to these substances. Latex gloves have an “excellent” resistance to acetone, while vinyl and nitrile have “poor” resistance. Latex gloves also have an “excellent” resistance to acetic acid while vinyl gloves offer “fair” resistance and nitrile “good.”
Nitrile gloves offer “excellent” resistance to solvents such as diethyl ether and latex, and vinyl gloves have “fair” resistance.
Other substances such as ammonium hydroxide and caustic chemicals like sodium hydroxide may also be used in laboratory settings. Latex, vinyl, and nitrile gloves all have “excellent” resistance to ammonium hydroxide, while latex gloves offer “excellent” resistance to sodium hydroxide 50% NaOH, and vinyl and nitrile gloves have “fair” resistance.
Users in labs may also come in contact with heat sources such as burners. Latex gloves offer “good” heat resistance, vinyl “fair”, and nitrile “excellent.”
Don’t settle for flimsy, inefficient gloves! Keep hands and users safe with GloveNation’s selection of latex, vinyl, and nitrile medical/exam grade gloves.