The recent fatality at Dartmouth is a reminder of how serious the hazards of laboratory work can be. If you have any questions about the hazards of the chemicals you work with, review the hazard assessment guide for help researching chemical hazards. This process will help you find the information necessary to choose a glove that will provide adequate protection. The first task is to decide if single use, surgical type gloves will provide adequate protection. Reusable gloves are necessary wherever there is heavy contact with chemicals, immersion in chemicals or potential for contact with extremely hazardous chemicals.
Disposable gloves can provide protection against splashes and incidental chemical contact.
There are a variety of disposable gloves suitable for use in laboratories, but in general the surgical type nitrile gloves are the best choice for general lab usage. These gloves provide good chemical protection from a variety of organic and inorganic chemicals, latex gloves provide little chemical protection. If your work involves heavy contact or immersion in chemicals, or if the materials are extremely hazardous, you should choose a re-usable glove that is effective for the materials you will be using. Each of these properties must be considered when selecting chemically protective gloves. Degradation appears as swelling, softening, cracking, or other change in appearance.