Gloves

To Wear or Not To Wear?

A very important question for your safety!

Why Wearing Gloves is Important

It is important to wear gloves when working with hazardous chemicals and other materials
because they protect our hands from infection and contamination. Protective gloves
should be selected on the basis of the hazards involved.

  • Nitrile gloves protect against most chemicals and infectious agents.
  • Rubber gloves protect against mild corrosive material.
  • Neoprene gloves protect against most solvents, oils, and mild corrosive materials.
  • Avoid latex gloves as many people are allergic or develop allergies to this material.
When to Wear Gloves

Wear gloves when your hands may come into contact with:

  • infectious materials
  • radioactive materials
  • chemicals
When NOT to Wear Gloves
  • Don’t wear gloves when touching common surfaces, such as telephones, computers, door
    knobs, and elevator buttons, or that may be touched without gloves by others.
  • Don’t wear gloves outside of the lab. When transporting hazardous materials between
    labs, use secondary containers that can be carried without gloves. (Bring gloves and
    spill materials in case of an accident.)

Questions on glove, lab coat or other safe practices? Contact EH&S at (631) 632-6410.