SURGICAL & NBR GLOVES MANUFACTURING UNIT

Gloves are single-use items and should not be washed or reused. Polythene: Thin and have a tendency to tear. They are not an appropriate choice for healthcare settings. Vinyl: Have been shown to be less effective than latex gloves in providing an impermeable barrier against microorganisms.

Disposable medical gloves are available in nitrile, latex and vinyl materials. Any gloves worn by health professionals should be free of powder, sterile, textured and coated for extra protection. Nitrile tends to be the most favored glove material for those working in the healthcare industry.

A disposable glove is commonly made from natural or synthetic rubber that covers the whole hand and is used to protect the wearer against harmful environmental influences and/ or used by caregivers in health care to protect themselves and patients from infections. As the name implies, disposable gloves are designed for single use only and should be disposed immediately after use.

Hand Protection- one of PPE’S

Appropriate selection of gloves is essential to protecting hands. Chemically protective gloves are one of the most important tools to minimize dermal exposures to chemicals in research laboratories. Gloves should only be used under the specific conditions for which they are designed, as no glove is impervious to all chemicals.

It is also important to note that gloves degrade over time, so they should be replaced as necessary to ensure adequate protection. Laboratory personnel should use the information below, and manufacturer compatibility charts (found under useful resources in the above right menu), to choose the type and style of glove.

Choice of gloves

Because the fundamental function of gloves is to protect both the wearer and the patient against the transmission of infectious microorganisms, the most important criterion for selection of gloves for safe use should be barrier performance. With the onset of latex protein allergy affecting certain genetically predisposed individuals, the risk of sensitization and allergy-triggering reactions in these already allergic users should also be considered.

Properly manufactured NR latex gloves are known for their excellent barrier property, high strength, good elasticity, tactile sensitivity, comfort, fit, and durability. This is particularly so with powdered gloves. Over the years, manufacturers of synthetic gloves have attempted to simulate these NR properties. It is not unreasonable to say that today, these properties are still unsurpassed (in full) by any of the synthetic gloves currently manufactured.

Natural rubber latex is the oldest and most familiar material used in disposable gloves. In recent years it has increasingly been supplanted by nitrile and to a lesser extent vinyl gloves, but it remains popular in many uses, especially medical applications.

Natural rubber latex is obtained from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree when it’s bark is tapped. It is a milky fluid comprising 30-40% of rubber hydrocarbon particles suspended in a serum together with a few percent of other non-rubber substances such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, sugars and some metals (non-rubber fractions). The remaining major component is water.

Natural rubber latex is obtained from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree when it’s bark is tapped. It is a milky fluid comprising 30-40% of rubber hydrocarbon particles suspended in a serum together with a few percent of other non-rubber substances such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, sugars and some metals (non-rubber fractions). The remaining major component is water.

Manufacturers use a variety of machines and processes to produce both surgical and examination gloves. The most popular style of machine for the production of examination gloves, and to some extent surgical gloves, is the continuous chain or drag-line machine.

Powdered gloves are typically produced by means of an on-line powdering process in which the gloves are dipped into a slurry made from modified cornstarch. Some manufacturers have used off-line processes in which the gloves are washed, dried, and powdered. The powdering can be accomplished by either a wet or dry process.

The most widely used method for the production of powder-free gloves is subjection of the gloves to a chlorination process. Chlorine is used to chemically modify the NR surface. This modification reduces the surface tack of the rubber and allows the glove to be donned without the use of powder. However, this treatment is not sufficient to allow the glove to be donned when the user’s hand is damp or wet.

This shortfall in the performance of the gloves led to the development of polymeric coatings, which when applied to the rubber surface, allowed the user to don the gloves not only with dry hands but also with damp or wet hands. This feature is particularly important for surgical gloves because intraoperative changes may be necessary.

The coatings are made from a variety of materials. Acrylates, urethanes, and even nitriles have been used as surface coatings for medical gloves. The methods of application to the rubber surface range from on-line coatings to off-line washing processes.

Medical Exam Gloves are used to protect the health of the patient and caregiver. They offer a protective barrier between any contagions that the caregiver may be carrying as well as what the patient may have. This barrier reduces the risk of infection. There are three different types of medical gloves in common use–latex, vinyl, and nitrile. Latex is made from rubber, a natural material. Latex is most often used in medical procedures. Vinyl is a synthetic man-made material made of plastic from ethylene and chlorine. It is a low-cost option often used in food handling. Nitrile is also a synthetic material but is made from acrylonitrile and butadiene. It is highly elastic, resistant to punctures, resistant to chemicals, and easily conforms. It is used in medical procedures, maintenance, gardening and a host of other uses because of its durability. Each glove type has its own advantages and disadvantages.