Posted By jackw. As a result of the concerns raised re latex gloves particularly powdered ones..- (sensitivity issues). We have decided to use vinyl ones instead. They will be used by staff undertaking persnal care and thus need to offer a similar level of protection as latex. I have done some research and it would seem that if vinyl tested to ISO 2859 will offer the same protection. I note that some vinyl are also powdered. Is there any info re these also posig similar risks as latex. Also does anyone have a BS number that equates to ISO 2859.

Posted By J Knight Jack, ISO 2859 is a sampling standard, nothing to do with gloves as such, John

Posted By Robin B Try this Company. They are certainly more expensive but do offer permeation times for alternative types of gloves [and they are colour coded] gloves. However it does take a while to prepare the whole system. They also give training and keep a watching brief Tony O'Donovan kclgloves@hotmail.com Robin

Posted By Jon B We use gloves of all types as a barrier against a variety of substances, each type selected having been evaluated for protection offered against possible risks from. We have of course gine down the same route as to question the suitability of latex and alternatives. As always PPE is the last resort am I'm am sure in your scenario there is little choice but to use them. Most manufacturers are now supplying product data sheets so it is wise to check these - not all latex gloves are the same! - Our main supplier is Arco and we have never had any problem gaining such information. We have tended to move away from powdered gloves but this has its own disadvantages and does not remove the latex sensitivity issue. We also use vinyl and some of the more recent latex substitutes but these are not too resilient against aggressive chemicals. We previously discounted Nitrile on a cost basis but have found recently the gap between latex and nitrile has closed considerably and we currently get (non sterile) nitrile at less then £3.50 for 100 gloves. So cost is no longer prohibitive. If as suggested evidence is emerging for sensitisation to nitrile and vinyl then the playinmg field becomes more even. If the risks from wearing the glove is less than that what you are trying to protect from then they are worth it. The only real option is a tight monitoring sytem, with sufficient training and information to allow individuals to make an informed decision and identify early signs of problems. The remaining risk we feel is acceptable.

Posted By MichaelM Jack I had proiblems opening a couple of bits of this thread as I was directed to another IOSH website page. This information may have been given. The problem with the powdered latex gloves is that the latex protein, which causes the sensitisation, entered the skin layers more easily in the presence of the powder in the powdered latex gloves. If you move to powder free gloves and also offer cotton liners for those who have dermatitis or other skin conditions (although not latex allergies as I would offer an alternative) this would be acceptable as you are managing the risk. A risk assessment would have to back this up. If handling chemicals you will have to look at e.g. the chemical MSDS to ensure it will not melt the glove on contact etc. Michael

Posted By MichaelM Paul I am talking about personal care. If you use protective gloves during personal care you still need to protect the hands from exposure to e.g. a chemical that may be encountered during the personal care. The new gloves will have to be able to withstand exposure. Do you want to reduce the risk of sensitisation only to replace it with an employee with gloves melted to their hands? I know it is an extreme point and would be unlikely but we need to assess what glove would be suitable and what would not be suitable. Hope this clears up the point I was trying to make. Michael

Posted By Diane Thomason I recommend that you contact the Infection Control Nurses' Association for advice, or if possible, the Infection Control team at your local hospital. These people have thoroughly researched the pros and cons of different gloves for different clinical and care uses. A lot depends on what the actual personal care tasks are - I would say that the key point is whether there is substantial risk of coming into contact with blood and hence a BBV risk, or whether the gloves are for low-risk routine personal care tasks.

Posted By Paul Durkin Charles R, Thank you for the sustainable hospitals site, good info on Selecting Medical Gloves,however it tends to be critical of all as you would expect for sustainability !!! For vinyl it states:Is unfavourable because incineration of vinyl(as waste)can result in the formation of dioxin !!!Don't you love these Americans. Kind Regards Paul Durkin

Posted By MichaelM Is the alcohol reacting with the nitrile glove? OR Is the alcohol causing dermatitis like conditions by drying out the skin? Many workplaces supply hand cream for workers to put on to try to reduce the risk of drying out of skin.

Posted By MichaelM John Thanks for the reply. I understand that research is ongoing, but I was just trying to indicate that previous questions I raised about chemical reactions with the new glove material has to be considered. Michael

Posted By Paul Durkin Tim & Michael, We seem to have come away from personal care and dived, 'hands- first' into a bucket of chemicals.I worked for 34 years in the chemistry field and would never have considered examination gloves,but then I go back to the bucket , non latex allergy days. Please,please,are there GOOD QUALITY,vinyl gloves,that are suitable for use in the BOG standard(trace of blood!!!) personal care field ??? (like Alotouch Ultra,USA) Kind Regards,Paul Durkin