Medical-grade gloves are a vital piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) for many professional environments. Though most often used in healthcare settings, disposable medical gloves are also necessary for caregivers, food handlers, dentists and other professionals. Wherever health and sanitation are top concerns, protective gloves are essential. They help stop the spread of germs and viruses, promoting the safety of both employees and those they serve.
If you need disposable gloves for your professional environment, choosing the best possible kind of glove is critical. You&#;ll need to understand the difference between various disposable glove types. Not all gloves are the same &#; different materials, strength levels and other features lend themselves to distinct purposes. Below, we&#;ll discuss the 10 most important considerations for stocking up on gloves.
Only some disposable gloves qualify as medical gloves. To fit the medical-grade description, disposable gloves must meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) quality assurance guidelines. These guidelines ensure all gloves used in medical settings are durable and reliable, not flimsy or brittle. For patient examinations, gloves must have an acceptable quality level (AQL) no higher than 2.5. That rating means no more than 2.5% of the gloves in a batch can have defects. These gloves are non-sterile &#; sterile gloves must have an even lower AQL measure.
Manufacturers have to keep up with stringent testing measures to achieve a score of 2.5 or lower. Gloves with an AQL higher than 4 or 5 are only acceptable for mechanical or industrial purposes. Rigorous AQL standards require glove manufacturers to employ uncompromising quality control. The AQL scoring guide helps ensure gloves used for medical purposes are without defects. Tears or other lapses in quality could leave healthcare professionals and their patients vulnerable to pathogens or other contaminants.
Depending on your application, you&#;ll have to decide on an acceptable AQL rating. You may be able to find industry standards, but if not, opt for lower AQL numbers for the best quality disposable gloves. Keep in mind, doctors use gloves with AQL scores of 2.5 or lower during patient examinations. A similar score would likely suffice for your environment unless you need them for surgical purposes.
Disposable gloves with an acceptable AQL rating come in a variety of materials. One of the first things you should consider is your glove material preference. Different glove materials are useful for different purposes, so it&#;s a good idea to learn about the available options before making a bulk purchase.
Nitrile gloves are one of the best alternatives to latex gloves, offering a longer average shelf life. Standard nitrile gloves are an ideal non-sterile option. A powder-free, latex-free nitrile glove is resistant to chemicals, oils and acids. Nitrile&#;s strength makes these gloves tough and helps them stay puncture-free, even when worn for extended periods. If latex allergies are an issue, nitrile gloves offer a flexible, touch-sensitive alternative. You can buy bulk orders of nitrile gloves in a variety of colors and sizes.
Latex is a comfortable, inexpensive glove option suitable for most medical environments. They&#;ve been a staple of many healthcare facilities since the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic of the s. With that said, latex allergies are common. There&#;s a high likelihood someone in your organization or someone you serve will have a latex allergy. If you&#;re purchasing gloves for widespread use, you might consider a material less likely to cause allergic reactions, such as nitrile or vinyl. Latex also has a short shelf life compared to other materials.
Another option is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) glove. PVC is a common synthetic plastic polymer. Since they&#;re easy to mass-produce, these gloves are one of the least expensive options. They&#;re also less durable than other glove types, and they offer limited hazard protection. For that reason, PVC gloves are best suited for low-hazard applications. In some cases, a nitrile-vinyl blend glove may be the best choice for affordability and durability.
For most applications, one of the above-listed materials will suffice. Here are a few other material choices you might consider for latex-free medical gloves:
For a glove to have a &#;sterile&#; rating, it must meet strict FDA guidelines. Sterile medical gloves are acceptable for surgical purposes, so they must have the best possible AQL ratings. Sterile gloves must have an acceptable quality level of 1.5 or lower. As mentioned above, examination gloves can have an AQL as high as 2.5, so sterile gloves can be considered even safer. Because their manufacture requires strict testing, sterile gloves may have a higher price.
Though the term &#;non-sterile&#; may sound concerning, non-sterile gloves with an AQL of 2.5 or lower are acceptable for any non-surgical purposes. Using non-sterile gloves in non-surgical settings is safe and reduces the risk of disease transmission. Most healthcare workers use non-sterile gloves for patient examination purposes.
Non-sterile gloves work well for other applications, as well. If you&#;re looking for disposable gloves for routine cleaning, food service, caregiving or other purposes, non-sterile gloves should be fine. It&#;s vital to decide on an acceptable AQL rating for your purposes.
You may come across powdered and non-powdered glove options. Powdered gloves feature cornstarch coatings, which makes them easier to put on and prevents them from sticking together. Though this can improve convenience, the FDA has banned powdered gloves for surgery and patient examination purposes.
According to the FDA, the risks of powdered gloves in medical settings outweigh the benefits. The powder can cling to the wearer&#;s skin, causing irritation, inflammation or allergic reactions. It can also cause surgical complications involving peritoneal adhesions, which are a type of bond between a person&#;s organs. Though the ban does not yet extend to food service applications, loose cornstarch from powdered gloves may cause food contamination. In most instances, a non-powdered glove is a preferable choice.
You should also consider glove thickness. Thicker gloves provide a stronger protective barrier. They also better resist tears, allowing for a longer wear time. A heavy-duty, industrial-grade glove will offer more thickness than a lighter, thinner glove.
With that said, a thicker glove may dull touch sensitivity, which isn&#;t ideal in certain settings. If your application requires a high level of touch sensitivity, you might opt for thinner gloves made from a durable material, such as nitrile. When browsing glove options, look for thickness measurements in mils.
Certain situations call for a high level of tactile or touch sensitivity. For instance, a surgeon needs unimpaired touch sensitivity to perform surgery with the necessary precision and accuracy. Tactile-sensitive gloves made of a lightweight material will allow for precision levels similar to an ungloved hand. Sensitivity may also be necessary for a number of applications, including food preparation, electronic handling and pharmaceuticals.
You should also consider glove comfort and fit, including various size options. Depending on your application, your staff may need to wear gloves while performing complex tasks. They may also need to wear their gloves for extended periods. It&#;s vital to choose comfortable gloves &#; an uncomfortable glove may hinder someone&#;s ability to perform their necessary responsibilities.
Size options are an essential consideration. If a glove is too small, it may cause irritability or limit blood circulation to the wearer&#;s hand, making the fit distracting and uncomfortable. A too-small glove is more likely to tear, as well, compromising its protective barrier.
If a glove is too large, other concerns may arise. Loose space between the glove and the wearer&#;s skin may leave the wearer vulnerable to pathogens. A glove that&#;s too big is also likely to fall off, causing a significant contamination concern. When buying gloves, be sure to acquire several sizes, at least small, medium and large.
Tensile strength refers to a material&#;s resistance to breaking when stretched or pulled. Gloves with higher tensile strength ratings are more tear-resistant. Nitrile and latex are both materials with high tensile strength ratings &#; you can tug and pull on them quite a bit before they&#;ll start to tear. Since a tear would compromise a glove&#;s protection, tensile strength is essential. It&#;s an important measurement to acknowledge, especially for applications requiring hand dexterity.
Though you may not think twice about glove color, it can make a notable difference. You may choose to color code your gloves so staff can easily differentiate between various glove types. For instance, you might choose blue for latex gloves and black for non-latex gloves, so those with a latex allergy will have no trouble selecting the non-latex gloves. If you need both sterile and non-sterile gloves, color coding could again be useful.
Certain glove colors also make tears more apparent. If you wear a dark-colored glove on top of a light-colored glove, tears will be easy to identify. You can then change gloves as soon as possible after a tear, minimizing contamination risks.
You may wonder whether or not double-gloving offers more protection than wearing a single glove. According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH), double-gloving is an effective way to protect the wearer from pathogens and other harmful substances. They found that while glove perforations were common, there were no instances of inner double-glove perforation. The NIH recommends double-gloving as a routine practice for operating rooms.
Standardizing double-gloving may help you promote your staff&#;s safety and wellbeing. Should you choose to do so, you may need to store greater quantities of gloves. It&#;s a good idea to order gloves in bulk amounts for this purpose.
The final factor you should consider is a glove&#;s shelf life. Buying disposable gloves in bulk will ensure you always have gloves available when needed &#; but it may also mean some gloves sit unused for extended periods. A glove&#;s shelf life depends most on its material. Nitrile gloves last longer than any other material. You should always check the manufacturer&#;s guidelines, but most nitrile gloves will last in their original packaging for several years.
In most cases, it&#;s easy to tell if a glove is compromised. A compromised glove may have surface cracks or feel brittle to the touch. Always wear gloves with normal tensile strength and durability, and keep careful track of how long your gloves have sat on the shelf.
Proper storage can help make gloves last longer. For short or long-term glove storage, you should keep gloves:
When deciding where to store your gloves, opt for a cool, dark environment. In most cases, a shelf in a secluded closet will do fine. Proper storage will help you extend your gloves&#; shelf life, saving you time and money long-term and minimizing waste.
Choosing the right gloves for your application can make your environment safer, healthier and more productive. When shopping for new disposable gloves, consider several factors &#; the material, AQL, durability, comfort, dexterity, color and additional features. Each of these factors is significant. Once you&#;ve chosen the right gloves for you, be sure to purchase as many as you may need and follow best storage practices.
Whether disposable gloves, plastic gloves, powder-free gloves, food prep gloves, reusable gloves, or any other type, they all are designed primarily for one thing. Food service gloves are designed to prevent bare hand contact with food that you will serve to your customers.
The use of food handling gloves is instrumental in preventing the spread of disease-causing organisms across restaurants and small businesses. And when gloves are used in food service, they do just that.
While food handling gloves are effective, many food service managers and restaurateurs express confusion over which gloves are best for the application. Fortunately, the glove experts at Servous can help.
We offer a vast array of food-grade disposable gloves, vinyl gloves, latex-free gloves, powder-free gloves, neoprene gloves, powdered gloves, poly gloves, cut-resistant gloves, and more. Most importantly, our product specialists have the expertise to listen to your unique needs and suggest the best food service gloves.
With competitive price and timely delivery, Hongray sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
Don&#;t hesitate to reach out to us today for a personalized suggestion for the best food service gloves. In the meantime, continue reading to learn more about some of our most popular food services and food-grade gloves.
Latex gloves are the perfect solution for different phases of food service and food preparation. Latex gloves are ideal for preventing cross-contamination and enabling your facility to practice proper food handling safety.
Servous is the premium provider of latex gloves for food service facilities. Our latex gloves and disposable gloves are available in all sizes. As an affordable option for disposable gloves, latex gloves are commonly used in restaurants, supermarkets, and other food establishments.
Latex food-grade disposable gloves are often used by food service workers for:
For more rigorous tasks, you should consider thicker gloves.
When excellent versatility is valued or required, latex gloves are supreme. They offer the perfect combination of comfort and protection. Latex gloves are puncture resistant and create an almost impenetrable barrier against harmful biological contaminants.
A few key attributes and benefits of latex gloves include:
One of the biggest concerns surrounding latex gloves are those with latex allergies. If a food service worker does have latex allergies, they may experience symptoms such as,
In the event a food service worker does exhibit these symptoms, choosing gloves that are latex-free will be the best course of action.
Latex gloves are generally offered in two different types:
For the majority of kitchens, powder-free gloves are preferred. This preference originates from the fact that certain powder can cause skin irritation and even allergic reactions.
Latex-free gloves are made from a compound called nitrile. This latex-free glove alternative is manufactured through a combination of butadiene and acrylonitrile. Nitrile offers a range of desirable attributes that make the material suitable for food prep gloves.
Nitrile gloves are manufactured to offer many of the same desirable attributes as latex gloves without the potential allergic reaction. Due to the manufacturing process, nitrile gloves were originally extremely expensive to manufacture when compared to latex.
Thanks to advancements in technology, latex gloves are now much more cost-effective. Most importantly, nitrile gloves have a lower allergic reaction rate compared to latex. Nitrile gloves are usually latex-free, vinyl-free, BPA free, phthalate-free, and usually powder-free gloves.
If you&#;re looking for food safe nitrile gloves, it&#;s important to choose nitrile gloves designed for this application. Simply put, not all nitrile gloves are deemed food safe for food applications. To find the best nitrile single use gloves, always ensure they are FDA Approved.
As one of the standard gloves used in kitchens, vinyl gloves offer the best of both worlds between performance and price. Formulated from PVC, disposable vinyl gloves are engineered to provide the highest level of protection with excellent durability, sensitivity, and elasticity.
At Servous, our vinyl gloves for food processing are accented by a desirable silken feel and a comfortable loose fit. This helps improve the tactile sensitivity of the gloves and ensures a good grip.
Vinyl gloves are regularly used for
When it comes to choosing between powder vs powder-free vinyl gloves, the powder-free version is usually the preferred solution. Again, customers opt for powder-free vinyl gloves to avoid potential allergic reactions.
The vinyl option is often considered to be the best gloves because the gloves boast a longer shelf life when compared to other options, such as latex. However, it&#;s important to understand that vinyl gloves are not designed to offer protection from potentially hazardous chemicals.
Thanks to a latex-free, powder-free design, our vinyl gloves are proven to be perfect for environments where allergens are a concern. Additional key benefits of choosing our high-quality, disposable vinyl gloves include:
Polyethylene gloves &#; also called poly gloves &#; are also for food prep and other light-duty tasks. In addition to being an FDA-approved food handling solution, PE gloves are a low-cost option for all types of food service facilities.
PE is one of our most cost-effective disposable gloves. These gloves are primarily utilized for light-duty foodservice contact. While they aren&#;t as tear resistant as other types, they are extremely cost-efficient for jobs that require frequent changes.
Our poly gloves have a loose fit design and are perfect for easy on and off applications, such as:
They are also excellent for applications that require quick changes, such as:
The LDPE material in itself may be more susceptible to tears.
Whether you&#;re looking for more durability for short-term use or the ability to quickly change gloves, Servous can match you to the perfect glove. Below are some of the most common types of poly gloves we offer.
As a great alternative to latex, vinyl, or nitrile gloves, CPE gloves can be more durable, thicker, and even more cost-effective. These gloves are perfect for short-term use, offering multiple off and on capabilities. Offered in more than one size, these types of gloves can be right-sided for efficiency and comfortably worn all day.
TPE gloves are among the best PE gloves. Thick, suitable, and designed to be worn for extended periods, they offer similar elasticity as rubber gloves.
Designed with thick material, these gloves are known for their durability, which makes them the preferred solution for restaurants and small businesses alike.
HDPE gloves are the most cost-effective type. These single-use gloves are designed for basic use by small businesses. However, these gloves are very thin but perfect for light foodservice work where contamination prevention is the only goal.
Characterized by softness and strength, LDPE gloves are lightweight, thin, and suitable for light-duty foodservice work.
While choosing the best PE gloves for your facility can seem challenging, Servous makes it easy. Our experienced small businesses and restaurant specialists will get to understand you and your unique restaurant supply needs. Then we will guide you to the best, most cost-effective solution.
Contact Servous today for wholesale gloves from virtually any material.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Wholesale Surgical Gloves. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.