Cleanroom gloves are designed to protect either products from contamination or the wearer from exposure to chemicals. Once the main reason for wearing the gloves is established, there are many other glove characteristics to be considered &#; the required tactility, dexterity, antistatic materials etc. In addition, glove length is a factor that is becoming increasingly important.
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Cleanroom gloves are designed to protect either products from contamination or the wearer from exposure to chemicals. Once the main reason for wearing the gloves is established, there are many other glove characteristics to be considered &#; the required tactility, dexterity, antistatic materials etc. In addition, glove length is a factor that is becoming increasingly important.
The popularity of longer length cleanroom gloves is a result of increased awareness and need for extra personal or product protection, along with a drive to cut costs and reduce environmental impact.
The traditional length of a glove used in a cleanroom is 300mm/12 inches (12&#;). However, when handling hazardous chemicals, such as chemotherapy drugs, the wearer should have the increased protection and reassurance from a glove that is 400mm/16&#; in length, ensuring the entire forearm up to the elbow is covered and protected from the risk of exposure to harmful chemicals.
Product protection is also of the utmost importance; coverage up to the elbow, with a beaded cuff for a more secure fit on the arm, means 400mm/16&#; gloves eliminate the risk of contamination from exposed skin between the gloves and the cleanroom garment. Using cleanroom gloves that are 33% longer than the industry standard removes the need for additional protective items such as sleeve-covers or the use of cuff tape, thereby saving costs and reducing waste, resulting in a positive impact on the environment.
To help with glove selection, glove manufacturers specify the cleanliness class for which the glove is suitable (as defined in EN ISO -11) e.g. ISO Class 4, 5 or 6. Additionally, they use the protective glove standards EN to define dimensions, EN ,4,5 the number of pinholes allowable and the medical glove standard EN to define the glove strength as a basis for quality assurance and quality control in their factories.
Gloves chosen to protect the wearer from harmful chemicals are classed as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and are regulated under the European PPE Directive7and its associated standards8. The harmonised standards covering gloves used for chemical protection are EN 420 and EN 374. Obviously such gloves must at the same time comply with cleanroom requirements.
Protective gloves (PPE) form a physical barrier between the wearer and the chemicals that they are handling and will remain effective until the barrier is broken. The barrier can be breached via one of two mechanisms; permeation or penetration.
Permeation is the process by which a chemical moves through a protective glove material on a molecular level, whereas penetration is the movement of a chemical and/or micro-organism through porous materials, seams, pinholes or other imperfections in a protective glove material on a non-molecular level. BioClean 400mm/16&#; gloves have been tested under EN 374-3 to assess how effective they are against specified chemicals. To be compliant in offering chemical protection, the glove under test must be graded as offering Level 2 protection or higher against at least three chemicals. The performance levels are defined by the time taken for the test chemical to permeate the test sample.
The BioClean range of 400mm/16&#; cleanroom gloves all meet the required protection Level 2 and are suitable for use within the pharmaceutical, life sciences and microelectronics industries, complying with the requirements of the glove standard EN 420, EN 374-1, 2 & 3: and medical glove standard EN 455.
Available in latex and nitrile, sterile and non-sterile, the range offers extra protection while maintaining stringent product protection protocol. Written product specifications, test reports, advice and samples for BioClean 400mm/16&#; cleanroom gloves are available on request.
Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) is vital in minimizing workers&#; exposure to hazards. But wearing PPE with the right fit is equally vital when it comes to controlled and critical environments. Whether it&#;s PPE gloves such as clean and clean sterile gloves or protective clothing, having the right fit makes a difference between the worker being safely covered or dangerously exposed and the integrity of the products being manufactured compromised.
Laboratory workers and research facility workers operating in controlled environments are constantly exposed to numerous hazards whilst exploring ideas for vital new drugs, vaccines, medical devices and other solutions. Hence, protecting them throughout their working day becomes a crucial task for employers.
Providing workers in controlled environments with quality PPE gloves and protective clothing is not enough, it is just as important that they&#;re provided with correctly fitting and comfortable PPE. In many countries, work regulations demand that personal protective equipment (PPE) provided should be suitable for the work being carried out and that it fits the wearer correctly. Ill-fitting PPE can pose risks of injury to workers, endanger those working around them and compromise the vital products being manufactured.
The best hand protection for the job is always a good pair of gloves and a pair that fits workers&#; hands well. When workers are present in critical and controlled environments, they are exposed to multiple hazards especially chemical hazards. Others include biological hazards, allergy hazards, static hazards and ergonomic hazards.
With many hazards workers face, wearing PPE gloves that fit make a difference for optimal protection and mitigating exposure risks. Gloves which are too loose could cause workers to have improper grip when handling instruments and apparatus. Whilst wearing gloves which are too small could cause them to have sweaty hands, causing irritation, experience restricted hand movements which will affect hand dexterity. Ultimately, productivity could be reduced.
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There are 27 bones in each hand. Everyone&#;s hand is made of a complex system of tendons, bone tissues and nerves. That&#;s why cleanroom gloves must fit well in order for workers to have better dexterity in performing complex tasks. When it comes to handling materials in a controlled environment, workers must have the confidence, dexterity and tactile sensitivity when handling hazards to ensure there is no risk of contamination to them or the product For that, a pair of gloves with the right fit matters, every time.
PPE gloves that fit poorly increases the amount of force required by a worker&#;s hand muscles. Overtime, this causes muscle fatigue and workers risk developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Whether the gloves they wear are loose or tight, both are detrimental to hand movements in the long run.
Tight gloves cause pressure on hands, restrict hand movement and increase hand perspiration &#; leading to muscle fatigue and sometimes skin-related discomfort. Loose gloves reduce grip strength, affect hand dexterity and ultimately hinder productivity. Other than being uncomfortable, loose gloves could create risks for hazards within the controlled environment. Losing control over instrument grip in a laboratory, ineffective protection of products from contamination or poor handling in assembly of medical devices; these are just a few of the risk factors that ill-fitting gloves pose in a controlled environment.
To increase safety and productivity, Ansell has developed a glove size finder tool so workers can expect to find the right glove size anytime, anywhere. Anyone can access this tool to get the right size before purchasing any of Ansell&#;s clean and clean sterile PPE gloves.
Here&#;s how our glove size finder application works:
*We recommend trying the suggested size for the best fit. Based on the shape of your hand and the quality of the scan, your actual glove size may vary. Please follow the instructions closely.
Want to measure now? Scan the QR code or click on the link to get the right glove size for life sciences PPE gloves:
Other than protecting your hands from hazards in controlled environments, it is also crucial that protective clothing is worn to protect workers and products from risk of contamination, especially when it comes to particulate hazards. Choosing the right protective clothing means finding the right fit, wearer comfort and ease of use.
Ill-fitting protective clothing increases the risk of contamination. When wearing a smaller protective suit, freedom of movement is hindered and the garment becomes uncomfortable to wear. Tears might happen and this will undoubtedly expose workers and products to a variety of serious risks and hazards. With a larger suit, it may get caught in machinery causing workers to be exposed to even more danger, or cause gapping between clothing items i.e. between the coverall and hood, causing a risk of contamination escaping into the controlled environment.
It is important to measure a worker&#;s actual body measurements and refer to a sizing chart before purchasing the relevant protective clothing. Never forget to consider the wearer&#;s comfort. After all, they are wearing the suit for most of the time in their working hours. Always find out about the material of the protective suit and also the ease of putting on the suit. Keeping workers comfortable is also another way of taking care of their work productivity.
When it comes to protecting your eyes in a controlled environment, wearing quality and good-fitting goggles are a must. Always ensure that the goggles you choose fit comfortably. If it pinches your nose or puts pressure on your head, high chances that you&#;re wearing the goggles too tight. The goggles should not distort your vision or else you&#;ll experience dizziness or headaches and this can prove to be dangerous when handling hazardous chemicals.
See what Ansell&#;s protective clothing and goggles looks like and explore the specifications of each in greater detail with our 360° product viewer. Understand each feature and benefit of the protective clothing and goggles better as you view both respectively from different angles.
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ARE A WORKER&#;S FINAL LINE OF DEFENSEEducating workers on the benefits of wearing PPEs with the right fit can mean a whole lot of difference to work safety and productivity in controlled environments. This means ensuring that every worker regardless of size needs to always wear the right size of PPE. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all PPE.
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