Let’s Talk About Nitrile Gloves
- November 30, 2021
- by
- Shai Habon
There are several reasons why disposable nitrile gloves are a desirable alternative to latex, vinyl, or nitrile blend gloves. While latex gloves are better suited to high-risk medical environments, the durability and hypoallergenic properties of nitrile gloves can be extremely beneficial in many workplaces.
What Are Disposable Nitrile Gloves?
Nitrile gloves are durable, protective gloves that can be used in a variety of situations where personal protective equipment (PPE) is required. Nitrile is a synthetic rubber, which makes a durable glove material used by medical professionals and those in the foodservice industry alike.
A combination of acrylonitrile and butadiene rubber, medical-grade nitrile gloves is a synthetic rubber resistant to many chemicals and oil depending on its polymer composition. The absence of latex means nitrile gloves have a lower allergy rate, but they are also more expensive because of the additional steps in their manufacturing.
Why Should You Choose Disposable Nitrile Gloves?
There are countless reasons to choose Nitrile Disposable Gloves as your PPE hand protection, especially if you work in the food, mechanical, or medical industry. Here are a few of the top reasons:
Increased Durability
Nitrile gloves offer significantly better durability than latex rubber. Nitrile rubber is puncture resistant thanks to increased dexterity and flexibility. This makes nitrile gloves suitable for industrial factories, laboratories, meat processing, and mechanical work. Nitrile gloves are ideal work gloves because they also stand up to high heat.
Comprehensive Protection
These are chemical-resistant gloves that offer industrial-grade protection. Nitrile gloves are suitable for pesticide applications, medical laboratories, and other environments where chemicals, oil, and fuel are being handled.
Disposable nitrile gloves offer excellent protection from chemicals in a vehicle’s system, making them great for mechanics’ shops. They can prevent oil penetration and keep your hands clean while allowing you to perform detailed work.
Nitrile gloves can also be effective in breaking up electrostatic charges, so they don’t contaminate sterile surfaces with as many particles as other glove materials. This makes them suitable for clean medical environments.
Touch Sensitivity
Nitrile gloves offer high tactile sensitivity, making them an obvious choice for detailed medical work. This means they offer a good grip and can be used for intricate handling of tools or utensils.
You can purchase disposable nitrile gloves with textured fingertips and palms to improve gripping ability and allow the user to have better control while wearing the gloves. They are also available in powder-free varieties, which can improve your grip as well and avoid contamination of the surgical area.
Latex Free
Nitrile gloves are a latex-free option that can provide long-lasting protection for people who suffer allergic reactions from latex. While it is possible to be allergic to other antigens that are part of nitrile rubber manufacturing process, it is much less common than a latex allergy.
Nitrile gloves are ideal for dentists because they reduce the chance of an allergic reaction from their patients. Since the gloves are going to be in the patient’s mouth, this is very important.
They’re Breathable
Unlike vinyl gloves, nitrile offers a more breathable experience that is less likely to result in sweaty, clammy hands. This is essential for those in the medical or mechanical field performing meticulous tasks that require precision.
Food Safe
Most nitrile gloves are the safest material you can use for food handling. However, to ensure the gloves meet national standards, they should be certified by the FDA. Always check the packaging for this approval before using nitrile gloves for food handling or processing.
Longer Shelf Life
Nitrile gloves have a longer shelf life than latex gloves. Like most synthetic materials, you can count on them lasting for years as long as you store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Free of Harmful Toxins
Nitrile gloves are free of BPA, phthalate, and MBT, with many styles also powder-free.
Extremely Versatile
Nitrile gloves are extremely versatile in their potential applications. They can be used for food prep, janitorial work, medical exams, the hospitality industry, and lab work. While not suitable for high-risk medical work, a nitrile pair of gloves has many other uses.
Drawbacks of Nitrile Gloves
Nitrile gloves aren’t perfect, but they offer many desirable qualities that make them a suitable choice for many professions. They’re more expensive than latex gloves, and they also take much longer to biodegrade, so they’re not eco-friendly. Nitrile Gloves can provide basic protection against germs and pathogens, but because they are not as form-fitting as latex gloves, they don’t offer sufficient protection for high-risk, infectious environments.
But their benefits lie in lasting performance, durability, protection from punctures, and harsh chemicals. For most industries, there is no other option that offers such diverse functions.