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Posted By David Waterton
hi i have just finished reading the HSE guidance "latex and you". It raises a number of concerns re sensitisation, irrititation, type 1 and type 4 allergic reaction, all related to latex exposure. As a sfety advisor in a local authority i have concerns as a large number of social work and other department staff use latex gloves. Can anyone give evidence of the extent of these reaction e.g. 1 person in a 100 etc. I assume there are ready available alternatives. can anyone give me a company name or contact..preferably in Scotland..thanks for any assistance..
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Posted By Ken Urquhart David, I am no expert in this field but see the TUC web site and there e-bulletin that you can register for. Lots about Latex sensitisation and the related Latex problem and the Campaign to raise awareness etc. www.tuc.org.uk. Also try the Royal College of Nursing web site: www.rcn.org.ukAnd from this site log through to the journal "Nursing Standard" and by registering on their Web pages you can access their journal archive data base. Much information here in this data base also on the subject of Latex and Latex allergies and the Health risk and damage it can and does cause. Also sugget that you speak to your local presumably UNISON Union representatives and some of your Health care workers etc who are already likely to be aware and may within their departments be implementing procedure etc. They certinly should be ble to give you and presumeably get you technical and practice advice on the subject. Also why not through your procurement/supplies section question the suppliers of Latex products to your Authority and ask them for up to date Health and sensitivity information about Latex products. Maybe also alert your procurement/supplies section that ther might be a risk with Latex containing products and as you will be coming up to budget time, perhaps some potential supply order can be put on hold whilst reviews are made and product specification etc is reviewed before any final orders are confirmed etc., Hope this is of some help. Regards. ken Urquhart
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Posted By Jack
The main problem is with powdered latex gloves. Latex adheres to the powder and can be inhaled. I don't know the frequency at which people become sensitized but it can be a very serious (life threatening) reaction. Particularly if a sensitised person has surgery, (because of the latex used in surgical equipment - hospitals do have non latex equipment which they use when they are aware of sensitization).
I don't think latex gloves are essential for local authority employees and I've heard of several that have substituted them with alternatives.
I would recommend vinyl (powdered or non powdered) as first choice. If they are not suitable non powdered latex would be preferable to powdered latex.
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Posted By Alison Dando
Many NHS Trusts use non powdered latex gloves as the first glove of choice as latex(natural rubber) is the best glove fabric to use with biological agents. Apparently the problem can be with the protein content of the glove, not so much with the powder, so go for a glove with a low protein content. If staff have a problems with their hands and the gloves are suspected then in our Trust they are issued with nitrile gloves and they are sent directly to Occupational health for a skin test. Nitrile gloves are a synthetic rubber. There are however a few individuals who will also react to nitrile but staff should be going back to Occ. health as a follow up so the use of nitrile gloves is discussed. We also have a few latex free workareas because some of our staff react systemically not locally(dermatitis)to latex. That means every item of equipment etc. has to be checked for the prescence of latex with the manufacturer and the rooms cleaned free form latex particles (every time you put gloves on and remove them latex particles are shredded from the gloves). In the event of nitrile not being able to be used as a glove fabric then a poly vinyl glove maybe the only option but it is not brilliant for use with biological agents.
Any good glove manufacturer on you contacting them will send you glove samples and information on all their latex and non latex glove ranges irrespective of where you are e.g. Sentinel Laboratories Ltd. Tel. 01444 484044 Ansell Medical 0181 4811818 and even Marigold or look in any good Health and Safety cat. for PPE and seek advice from their technical staff. I suggest you put together a glove policy, your risk assessment on a latex glove should mention Occupational Health/ going to a GP (if you can't acess an OCC. Health Dept.) in the event of suspected dermatitis as well as training etc. as well as informing staff that any problems they need to report them to their line manager asap. The going rate for an organisation not taking latex sensitisation seriously is £100,000 compensation. (Jan.2000 for a nurse in a welsh NHS Trust) Stats. don't look after staff but safe systems of work do.
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Posted By Bryn Maidment
Just to add to/re-iterate points made by the other respondents.
LA staff who are exposed to body fluids (you will be surprised at just how many there are!) must wear latex or nitrile gloves. Vinyl does not offer much resistance to viruses.
The powder and latex protein levels are both important. The lower the levels of protein the better. There is an NHS standard which I don't have to hand but will post later. The powder, although inert, will readily attach to the latex protein and will be inhaled deeply into the lungs. Non-powdered gloves with the lowest protein possible are the two essential factors when choosing gloves.
Having easy, self referral to an Occ Health service is also important. Many staff are suspicious of Occ Health involvement so this has to be overcome by raising awareness, good follow up and provision of testing and alternative gloves if required.
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Posted By David .J. Minnery
David ,
Try ARCO , they can advise on product selection and for particularly difficult problems they have product managers and a special sourcing service , if you are looking for an alternative !
I am not advertising for them just that they can be very helpful, their website is ARCO.co.uk .
Regards
David
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Posted By Bryn Maidment
The following offer further guidance on the subject :-
MDA device bulletin DB 9601
Latex sensitisation in the healthcare setting (use of latex gloves)
MDA Safety Notice SN 9825
Latex medical gloves (surgeons and examination) powdered latex medical gloves
Currently we buy in gloves <50ug-/g protein, powder free and low residual chemicals. Anyone can request and have provided latex free gloves
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Posted By Diane Warne
Contact your local NHS Trust as they should have a policy on the use of latex gloves and allergy prevention. Speak to the Infection Control Nurse, as the Infection Control Nurses' Association have produced excellent, detailed guidance.
You might also want to search this forum (including the archive) as this topic has been discussed before.
Regarding the frequency of allergy, the results of surveys vary but a reasonable average is about 10% of people regularly exposed to latex during their working life develop an allergy. Most of these people are in health care settings.
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خرید دستکش لاتکس برای محیط های آزمایشگاهی و استفاده های دقیق پزشکی رایج است. این دستکش ها انعطاف پذیر هستند و خاصیت کشسانی فوق العاده بالایی دارند. همچنین ساخت آنها به گونه ای است که به راحتی نمی توان آنها را پاره کرد. خطرات محیطی را برای پزشک و جراح به حداقل می رسانند. در حال حاضر دستکش لاتکس به عنوان بهترین دستکش قابل استفاده برای محیط های آلوده پزشکی مانند بیمارستان ها به حساب می آید. در همه کشورهای جهان برای اعمال جراحی باز و… از دستکش لاتکس استفاده می شود. چرا که امکان عبور آلودگی های بیماری زا از این دستکش ها به هیچ وجه وجود ندارد.
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A surprising rebirth of a thread from 18 years ago. According to Google it translates (appreciating that the translation may not be accurate!) as: Khurd Dastak Latex's opinion in the surrounding Hai Azmazhaki and its benefit is very accurate. Where do you think this is the twist of Zaid Hastand and the characteristic of Khasani, as usual, in Ayali Darand. Hmignin sakht at the time of it, i.e., using it as a comfort. The dangers of the surrounding Ra Braz Zishk and a surgeon with a handful of Ransand. If the present address is not available, do not have an address in the name of Hetrin District, which can be used in the opinion of the surrounding region of the city. Der Hmeh Koshurhay Jahan Bray Baz, surgeons and ... What do you do not use it? It is possible for Alodhi Hai Bemari to cross, where you will be traveling, as the face of the presence of Ndard.
Which means not a lot to me.
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 1 user thanked peter gotch for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Put very simply, the type I latex alergy was restricted very largely to the use of high free protein, powdered natural rubber latex gloves. The protein that is the allergen is heavy and sticky. As such it will not readily become airborne. However, the powder that was used to help don the cheap gloves will readily accept the latex protein molecules and then become airborne when the gloves are removed. In the words of Prof. Henning Allmers, a German expert in this topic, sensitisation occurs through inhalation but the allergy then usually first occurs due to skin contact when the powdered gloves are worn. The Royal College of Physicians conducted an investigation and concluded that the risk from low free protein, unpowdered gloves was miniscule. To quote from their study: "• No reports of new cases of latex allergy arising from non-powdered low protein latex glove use were found."
I have a study I did years ago that reached the same conclusion. This also shows what happened when the German state healthcare system banned powdered NRL gloves - latex allergy effectively disappeared. NRL examination gloves are widely used in their healthcare system and, as Henning has said, "Latex allergy is history".
The type IV reaction is to the chemicals used in the manufacture. If they are fully bonded into the gloves then the risk is very low. However, many nitrile gloves use the same chemicals and full bonding is much more difficult. I have seen situations where an employer has switched from NRL to nitrile an users, who had no problem with the NRL gloves (unpowdered, low protein) developed severe allergic contact dermatitis when they started to use the nitrile gloves. It is possible to obtain nitrile gloves that do not containt the main sensitiser, but at a cost.
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Thanks Chris for bringing your expertise to the renewed debate. P
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