Before each use, gloves should be inspected for punctures and tears and replaced, if necessary. Resistant Gloves Chemically resistant gloves should be worn whenever potential contact exists between the skin and corrosive or toxic materials. Neoprene, polyvinyl chloride, nitrile, and butyl or natural rubbers are the most common glove materials. Resistance to Chemicals of Common Glove Materials table, from Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, can aid in choosing the proper composition. The table also demonstrates that no one-glove material is right for every task.
Information supplied by the various glove manufacturers can be helpful in proper glove selection.
Before each use, all gloves should be inspected for discoloration, punctures, and tears. Before removal of any gloves, the user should wash the gloves appropriately. Gloves should be removed before leaving the laboratory, and prior to touching doorknobs, telephones, pens or pencils, notebooks, etc. As gloves are eventually permeated by chemicals, they can only be used for limited time periods. Non-disposable gloves should be inspected carefully before each reuse.