Key points about gloves and barrier creams
Last updated:Gloves
- Ensure gloves fit the wearer properly and are worn correctly for the job being done, for example, there should be no gap between the glove and the wearer’s sleeve when handling dangerous chemicals.
- Ensure that users can handle and remove the gloves properly so as to avoid contamination of the hands and the inside of the glove. If contaminants get inside the glove and are held against the skin they may cause greater exposure than if the glove had not been worn.
- Ensure that users wash their hands thoroughly when they change their gloves and that they moisturise their hands at least once a day;
- Check the condition of gloves regularly and throw them away when they have deteriorated. They should be free of holes or cuts and debris and their shape should not be distorted;
- Do not use a glove for extended periods as this can lead to the development of excessive moisture (sweat) on the skin which in itself will act as an irritant;
- Select gloves carefully for chemical resistance and protection, especially against mixtures. Do not use them for longer than the recommended breakthrough times. Manufacturers will advise on breakthrough times for their products.
Barrier Creams
Barrier creams may sometimes be used as an aid to skin hygiene in situations where gloves cannot be used. Experience shows, however, that barrier creams are less reliable than suitable gloves as a means of chemical protection.
Do not use pre-work creams, sometimes sold as barrier creams, as a replacement for carefully selected gloves.
Barrier creams are not PPE because:
- They do not provide full protection against hazards;
- Workers may not apply them correctly, leaving part of their skin uncovered;
- There is no information available on the rate of penetration of substances through pre-work creams; and
- Protection may be removed while working without the workers noticing.