Glove Intelligent Assistant
08.13.2024
As a brand and production house for disposable gloves, we’re greatly aware of the importance of gloves in everyday hand safety. Gloves are hugely important as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and can determine the outcome of hand safety in critical moments. In serious cases, not using proper PPE can result in the accidents that affect future hand mobility. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from 2022 reports that 70% of workers who experienced a hand injury were not wearing gloves . Furthermore, the US Department of Labor reports that 23% of all workplace related injuries involve injuries of the hand and fingers. The BLS details that an estimated 1 million workers need emergency medical care due to a severe hand injury every year. In order to provide high quality PPE, it’s important to be compliant with the industry’s scientific standards. With the proper PPE, it becomes easier for our customers to do their best in the workplace. This not only greatly enhances workplace efficiency but also streamlines proper hand safety. These two aspects are congruent in our company’s business praxis.
The ASK GIA blog has previously detailed about organizations such as the American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) who have expounded on the quality specifications glove structural performance need to meet based on their respective base-material used for manufacturing.
Our production house is in compliance with these industry standards, which maintain scientific and quantitative measurements of a glove’s integrity or performance. As per these standards, all of our gloves undergo physical and chemical quality testing. Each glove is tested to determine thickness, tensile strength, abrasion resistance, puncture resistance, cut level, and chemical permeation.
However, there are different specifications for different glove materials. ASTM D6319 is used for Nitrile gloves, ASTM D5250 is used for Poly Vinyl gloves, and ASTM D3578 is used for latex gloves.
To give some examples, ASTM D5151, D6124, and F1671 are general standards for medical or exam-grade gloves that must be met despite the material used. The ASTM D5151 standard tests for any holes that water or air can leak through, which may compromise the performance of the glove. The results are measured in Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) which measures the percentage of failure in each batch of gloves that undergo the test. Exam gloves are monitored for pinhole defects, with AQL 2.5 as per FDA requirements. Being compliant with this standard means the production house has proved their product has a 2.5% failure rate in the finished product. Failure is used to describe a glove that has any pinhole defects. ASTM D6124 test for residual powder found on exam gloves.
This is important as allergies in the workplace due to latex powder residues can cause allergic effects on some sensitive-skin individuals in the workplace. ASTM F1671 tests for adequate non-penetrative protection against microorganisms or pathogens, which is extremely important in the hygiene-concerned and medical workplace. Gloves are used to prevent the contamination by spread microorganisms or pathogens on glove user-skin and would contribute to minimize the cross-contamination toward the non-contaminated environment after glove use. A more detailed list can be found in a previous ASK GIA blog article: How to Check for the Quality of a Medical or Exam Grade Glove.
SW gloves are all thoroughly and strictly tested against industry scientific standards. Our production house uses scientifically verified and industry-approved principles to manufacture our products. As Emmert Wolf once said, “A man is only as good as his tools.” We work hard to make high quality hand protection to streamline our customers’ success.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022). Occupational Safety and Health Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/osh.pdf
University of Delaware. (n.d.). Safety – Hand and Finger Protection. Facilities Safety. https://www.facilities.udel.edu/safety/5382/
At SW, we are committed to leading the glove industry in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. Our innovative EcoTek® technology exemplifies our dedication to sustainable solutions, while our expertise in sweat management ensures comfort and performance. We also offer specialized chemical compatibility support, assisting customers in selecting gloves tailored to their unique needs. Our mission is to provide products that prioritize safety, health, and environmental responsibility for our customers and the planet.