What kind of gloves offer the best protection while working with chemicals?
The selection of gloves is not as straight-forward as it seems. Certain gloves are protective against certain solvents, while useless against others. Some gloves can be used for total immersion in a solvent while others will withstand less permeating chemicals in intermittent contact. Various thickness’ have different protective factors. Factors such as flexibility, cut and tear resistance, and temperature range should be considered. Anyone purchasing gloves for protection should become familiar with the various protective materials from which gloves are made and look at Glove Selection Charts for applicability. Glove selection charts can be obtained from the manufacturers of the gloves and from the laboratory supply catalogues. There are also good references in textbooks, such as “Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene”, “Prudent Practices in the Laboratory” and other sources. An important point to remember is that disposable gloves are not suitable for use with hazardous or aggressive ch
