It only protects the wearer and does nothing for anybody else in the area or for any equipment exposed to the chemical. PPE includes gloves, respiratory protection, eye protection, and protective clothing. The need for PPE is dependent upon the type of operations and the nature and quantity of the materials in use, and must be assessed on a case by case basis. Workers who rely on PPE must understand the function, proper use, and limitations of the PPE used. Glove Selection And Use Gloves should be worn whenever the possibility of skin contact with hazardous chemicals exists.
Every glove is permeable to a chemical.
The permeability varies with the chemical being used, the length of time of the exposure and the thickness of the glove. General use gloves, such as the latex surgical gloves, are appropriate when using small amounts of most chemicals for short periods of time. These gloves should be changed whenever they become contaminated with the chemical. Otherwise, the glove that offers the best resistance to the chemical should be used. The following guidelines should be used to determine the appropriate glove.