(Photo Credit: Photo by Branimir Balogović on Unsplash)

Choosing the right gloves for your workplace can be fairly overwhelming when you're not too sure which exactly you should use to protect your workers and your patients in the best way possible. There is such a vast range of surgical gloves out there to choose from, however, if you are looking for strong, robust gloves that are capable of protecting from all kinds of materials and hazardous chemicals, Nitrile gloves may just be the choice for you. So what are Nitrile Gloves? In this blog post we are going to explain what Nitrile gloves are and the benefits of choosing these.

What are Nitrile Gloves?

Nitrile gloves are created fairly differently to other products, as they are developed with a synthetic rubber compound which is free from protein. This means nitrile gloves do not contain any latex and are resistant to a large range of chemicals and abrasive materials, providing ultimate protection at all times.

Whether you are in an industry that requires food preparation, handling electronics or working in healthcare, you are bound to come into contact with some hazards. Protecting gloves such as Nitrile gloves then start to play an essential part in risk management. However, a large range of gloves that are produced are only suitable for some of those industries, for example, some protective gloves are only suitable for use in food preparation, but not suitable to protect workers from other hazardous chemicals. However, Nitrile gloves are a fantastic choice due to their versatility. Nitrile gloves are significantly more effective across a wide range of work places and industries, rather than just one or two. Nitrile gloves protect workers from any skin irritation, cuts and abrasions, or burns caused by a variety of environments.

Why choose nitrile gloves?

The fit, durability and flexibility of the glove is highly important when choosing the most appropriate protective gloves that ensure work by the wearer can be carried out in a safe manner. But how do you decide with so many different options on the market? To help choose the most suitable gloves for you, it is helpful to understand the difference between the most common glove materials. Latex, Nitrile and vinyl.

Latex

Latex gloves are made from a natural rubber, often the preferred choice for medical settings. This is because of the flexibility and sensitivity the gloves provide for health care workers. However, latex allergies affect around 6% of the population, causing not only a risk to the wearer, but to anyone the worker comes into contact with. These issues caused by latex can include rashes, anaphylaxis or respiratory problems.

Vinyl

Vinyl gloves are widely used purely for their price point. As a less costly option in comparison to latex and nitrile, these gloves are preferred within the food preparation industry where durability and flexibility is less needed. However, although great for the food preparation industry, they are not actually approved for use with fatty foods, making their use somewhat questionable within the kitchen. Although vinyl gloves are latex free, they provide a less secure fit and do not offer much puncture resistance.

Nitrile

Nitrile gloves are not only highly durable and offer a secure, puncture resistance fit, but also offer a superior level of protection for oil-based chemicals. The high levels of flexibility within the nitrile gloves are rarely known, especially in comparison to the first thought of latex gloves when it comes to great flexibility. However, nitrile gloves offer a form fitting comfort that moulds to the wearer's hand, providing increased sensitivity and flexibility. Nitrile gloves also include anti-static varieties, are made with a powder free option, and designed with textured finger grips for increased dexterity.

To shop our range of gloves with The Face Mask Store, head over to our website here.