As soon as Sabine Schulz from Hartmann Analytic GmbH in Braunschweig has put on fresh disposable gloves and arranged her samples and devices around her, she needs full concentration: adjust the pipette to the desired amount of liquid with a wheel, put a new tip on it, suck in the substance and fill it into a test tube. Normal laboratory routine for Ms. Schulz. The chemical laboratory assistant works with various radioactive substances – with P32 and P33 phosphoric acid, for example, or radioactively labelled thymidine. She prepares these substances for medical institutions all over the world, for example for thyroid examinations. In many laboratories around the globe, similarly dangerous substances are used, and the necessary caution and proper protection must not be neglected.
"A wide variety of chemicals make working in the laboratory a challenge. You have to be able to rely on the right protection. But what should you pay attention to when choosing the optimal glove? The experts at Sempermed have the answer." Jan Berndorff
Whether in the pharmaceutical or biotech laboratory, in the production of industrial chemicals, cosmetics or pesticides – countless different chemicals are used. In addition to the obligation to wear safety goggles and lab coats, the choice of optimal hand protection is essential. Some substances attack the skin itself, some enter the bloodstream via it and damage organs or nerves – some, as in the laboratory of Hartmann Analytic, can cause cancer.
Ms. Schulz is also aware of this: "Of course, I have to be extremely careful not to spill anything or come into contact with the substances during pipetting."
Without good laboratory gloves, this work would be unthinkable: "We use gloves from Semperguard" says Sabine Schulz. "These offer effective protection against the chemicals we use and are nice and smooth. Above all, they give you the necessary freedom of movement for precise work."
The best protection starts with choosing the right glove
The range of protective gloves is diverse, but not every glove is suitable for every purpose. The prerequisite for choosing the right glove is a precise knowledge of all possible hazards: those that arise directly at the workplace or during the work process, and also those that occur due to possible work-related disturbances. In addition, the expected wearing time also plays an important role when working with hazardous substances. "Personal protective equipment – PPE for short – is subject to many regulations in accordance with the current PPE Regulation 2016/425, valid since April 2016, which will replace Directive 89/686/EEC in April 2018 after a transitional period of two years. Nevertheless, any PPE is always a compromise," says Christian Ilsemann, Area Sales Manager Occupational Health and Retail at Sempermed.
In the case of laboratory gloves, this means above all: On the one hand, the gloves must be as thick as possible in order to have a good protective effect against the hazardous substances used; on the other hand, the user needs a high degree of sensitivity in order to be able to work precisely. To do this, the gloves should be as thin as possible – the solution is the golden mean.
The material used is becoming increasingly important: The difference between natural latex and synthetic nitrile rubber is large: natural latex is very elastic and therefore has the advantage of being comfortable to wear. The main disadvantage is that natural latex proteins can cause allergies. However, there are already alternatives due to new materials: Innovative nitrile gloves are becoming softer and softer and have improved wearing properties compared to previous generations. In addition, they also score with generally higher chemical resistance than natural latex gloves.
What should be considered when using disposable gloves in the laboratory?
The glove plan provides information about the hand protection suitable for the application.
- Before and after wearing and when changing gloves, wash hands and dry well.
- Check the glove for any tears and holes before use.
- Do not touch light switches, telephone receivers, writing utensils, taps, etc. with gloves in use to avoid unnoticed contamination.
- Take off gloves in such a way that there is no contamination of the hands.
- Additional protection for the wrist and forearm is provided by protective gloves with an extended shaft.
- Permeation lists provide information about the chemical resistance and wearing time of the glove.
- If in doubt, please contact the manufacturer for help in choosing the appropriate glove.
Comprehensive service and trust are not only important to Semperit. The UK Distributor
Vicki Clare, Managing Partner of Sentinel Laboratories Ltd in Lindfield, West Sussex, adds
in addition: "The key to success is that our customers know that protecting them is a personal concern for us."
Creating trust even with the highest demands
Creating trust means doing more than adhering to norms. The current tightening of EU standards for PPE is therefore no problem for Semperit. Compliance with the new requirements is already being worked on at full speed together with the notified bodies and standardisation institutes. Among other things, the chemical tests are to be made more demanding and the standards as a whole are to be defined more precisely: "As a quality manufacturer, we are happy about any tightening of the standards" , says Christian Ilsemann, "This separates the wheat from the chaff." In addition to knowledge and expertise in all aspects of gloves, Semperit also offers a wide range of products – from anatomically shaped gloves such as the Semperclean MC to sterilely packaged gloves and latex-free alternatives for people with latex allergies. Originally developed for medical applications, Sempermed surgical gloves are also used for special applications in the laboratory and pharmaceutical sector due to their labelling as medical devices and personal protective equipment. "Without this double labeling, it would not be possible to use it in the laboratory. For the user, this means even more flexibility with the highest level of protection." says Ilsemann. The portfolio has the right glove for almost every application and requirement. "Especially the Skin-friendliness is becoming increasingly important. Affected customers therefore appreciate our skin-friendly glove solutions twice." ,says the Area Sales Manager.
High demands are also the order of the day for the employees in the laboratory. After all, professionals like Sabine Schulz make an important contribution to the well-being of society with their work. After the work is done, Mrs. Schulz ends her day, carefully strips off her gloves and measures their radioactivity in order to dispose of them separately in the event of contamination.