The result of a COSHH overhaul on site has brought about the question of whether the chemical resistant gloves we're using are sufficient for the chemicals they are intended to protect against. 

A couple of  examples for standard everyday items that havent come out clear cut:

1/ Disinfectant containing:

Alcohol Alkoxylate 

didecyldimethylammonium chloride 

2/ Carpet spot cleaner containing: 

METHOXYMETHYLBUTANOL

I know nitrile gloves would likely be sufficient for these, but Im struggling to determine what protection letters would correspond to these mixtures/substances when looking at the EN374-1 code letters A to T. 

My next action would be to contact the glove makers direct, but was wanting to figure this out myself if possible in the first instance.

any pointers on how to figure this out?

Originally Posted by: iain1965

The manufacturer's safety data sheet (MSDS) which can usually be downloaded from their website, or you can request a copy from them, will normally give you detailed requirements for PPE to be used. I would suggest that would be your best course of action and a good starting point.

Thanks for the repsonse.

Unfortunately the information i supplied is taken from the MSDS in question. In my experience the MSDS will more often only prescribe the use of gloves, not specify exactly what properties they should have

The information provided about gloves for chemical protection is practically worthless when it comes to knowing which gloves to use and how well and for how long they will protect you. Even the EN standard (EN374-3) states that the information that is provided in line with this standard does not provide adequate information as to how a glove will perform under a particular set of circumstance. The selection and use of gloves for chemical protection is far more complex than many are recognise. I have a brief overview of this that I will happily e-mail anyone who wishes. Just PM me with an address. This is not a commercial response merely a personal desire to make those who have to select and use gloves aware of how easy it is to get it wrong. I also have a talk that I have given for free to several regional IOSH groups on this topic (Chemicals and the skin - what might we be missing?). If any local group is interested just get in touch.

The problem is simple. The answer is much more difficult, often virtually impossible, to find in many situations. The requirement for information on the safety data sheet by REACH is technically impossible for the manufacturer to comply with, at least in a meaningfull way.

The problem is that the way in which a glove will perform in actual use will depend on a whole range of factors and can vary with the same glove and same chemical enormously depending on what happens during a specific task. In an in-use test project run together with a UK university we found, for example, that a glove with a nominal permeation breakthrough time for a particular solvent of 37 minutes showed in one task no breakthrough after two hours, in another task breakthrough in just 5 minutes. (Same glove, same solvent)

In another a glove which offered in excess of 240 minutes permeation breakthrough time with each of two solvents tested on their own provided just 9 minutes protection when these were mixed in equal measures.

Manufacturers’ published data has to conform to the EN standard. Unfortunately, the test procedure (EN16523) is flawed in that it tests gloves at room temperature and not skin temperature. In some cases, once the glove has reached skin temperature the permeation breakthrough time can drop by as much as 90%. Add the effect of stretching (up to 50%) and it is clear that the static laboratory test may bear little relationship to what you will achieve in practice.

Techniques do exist for in-use testing, but these take time and currently involve not inconsiderable cost.

If anyone wants more on this feel free to PM me.