You have to consider, maybe one chemical doesn't do anything to the glove but another permeates it. Say hydrochloric acid doesn't affect the glove, but if the glove becomes compromised in another application, then the acid will be able to cause a burn. Meigs worked with one customer whose workers wore a disposable type glove to handle dilimonine. These people had severe dermatitis on their hands and clear up their arms. We recommended wearing cotton glove liners that they change no less than four times a day to reduce moisture and allow the area to heal.
Some glove manufacturers can custom-design gloves to meet particular needs.
For a wind turbine maker in Denmark where workers are exposed to a fiberglass product composed of styrene, Marigold Industries designed a glove that can hold up to styrene exposure for over one hour. Such customization is a trend Marigold's Logan Boss predicts might become more common. Ansell Edmont's Nelson Schlatter, says he'll run tests free of charge for customers to help determine what glove is best for their contaminant. Whether they'll develop a custom product depends as well on market demands. But, he says, if there's potential to help automotive workers across the nation, that's another story.