◆ After rinsing thoroughly, dry hands completely with a clean towel.

If water is not available, use alcohol-based

products made for washing hands.

• Use a solution of 70% (v/v) rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol (~3 quarts rubbing alcohol,

and ~1 quart water).

• Using a sprayer, cover all surfaces well,

including wrists, palms, backs of hands,

fingers and under fingernails. Rub gently

and allow to air dry.

• Alcohol-based towelettes or hand rubs

significantly reduce the number of germs

on skin (The Association for Professionals

in Infection Control (APIC) suggests using

a towelette to cleanse the hands and then

an alcohol gel to thoroughly disinfect).

Glove Safety in Contaminated 

Flood Waters

It is extremely important to wear protective

gloves when working in contaminated flood

waters, particularly when handling human or

animal remains. Ungloved hands should

never make direct contact with body fluids

and fecal materials, or flood waters contaminated with fecal material.

When working in contaminated flood waters:

• Wear a combination of gloves (if possible)

including an inner cut-resistant glove

(nitrile or similar washable material) and an

outer nitrile or latex disposable glove

(preferably 4 to 8 mil thickness).

• Protect gloved hands from cuts or any

puncture wounds caused by sharp objects.

Minimizing Disease Exposure When

Working in Contaminated Flood Water

After an emergency, it is often difficult to

find running water. Still, it is imperative

to wash your hands with soap and clean (or

disinfected) water to avoid illness.

Before working in flooded environments,

assemble adequate supplies of the following items:

• Clean water, disposable latex or nitrile

gloves; hand lotion

• Household bleach; rubbing alcohol (or

alcohol-based towelettes).

• Spray bottles

Wash hands with soap and clean (or disinfected) water before preparing or eating

food; after toilet use; after participating in

decontamination and other cleanup activities; and after handling articles contaminated with floodwater or sewage.

• If clean water is not available, contaminated water can be bleach-disinfected by

mixing 1/4 teaspoons of household bleach

per 1 gallon of water and let stand for 30

minutes.

• Label containers (e.g., “Bleach-disinfected

water -- do not drink”).

• If clean water is available, follow these

procedures:

◆ Place hands under running water pointed downwards;

◆ Rub hands together (with soap if available) and wash all surfaces well, including under fingernails. 

FactSheet

Hand Hygiene and Protective Gloves 

in Hurricane-Affected Areas

Flood environments present many health and safety challenges for rescue 

workers, emergency responders and clean-up crews. Preventing or minimizing

disease exposure when working in contaminated flood waters is possible by 

taking various precautions, specifically with proper hand hygiene and the use 

of protective gloves.
• Should a puncture wound occur, carefully

remove the contaminated gloves and wash

the affected area with soap and clean (or

disinfected) water or an alcohol-based hand

cleaner. See a doctor or health department

official if the wound is contaminated with

feces, soil, or body fluids. Seek immediate

medical attention if the wound becomes

red, swells, or oozes pus.

• Avoid touching your face with contaminated gloves; hand-to-mouth contact is a major

route of contracting disease.

• Remove contaminated gloves after use;

discard if gloves become torn or damaged.

• Take extra care when removing contaminated gloves.

◆ Point the hand downward and peel off

the outer glove starting at the wrist, turnThis is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or 

standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of 

compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal

Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request.

The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.

ing them inside out as you proceed. Do

the same for any inner gloves worn. 

◆ Be careful to avoid splashes of contaminated body fluids or fecal materials to

your face or that of others.

◆ Avoid contacting any uncontaminated

areas of skin.

• Properly discard outer gloves if disposable

and disinfect inner washable gloves, if

used.

• Wash hands with soap and clean (or disinfected) water, or use an alcohol-based hand

cleaner immediately after removing contaminated gloves.

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov

(800) 321-OSHA

For more complete information:

DSG 9/2005

Additional Concerns

• Workers allergic to latex should use nitrile gloves.

• To protect against dermatitis, which can occur from prolonged exposure to perspiration in

gloves, a thin cotton glove can be worn inside the external gloves.

• Frequent hand-washing, especially with alcohol-based disinfectants can irritate the skin

and make it more susceptible to abrasion. Use hand lotion to alleviate dryness. However,

do not use hand lotion under latex gloves because this can break down the gloves.

• Contaminated clothing, tools and equipment should be thoroughly cleaned using soap 

and clean water if available.