The early history of disposable gloves stems from the medical industry.Disposable gloves have a good start and are designed to meet the long-standing need for cleaning practices and barrier protection. Below is an overview of disposable gloves.

1889

In 1889,The Johns Hopkin Hospital was opened.Dr.William Steward Halstead,who is credited as the first to develop and introduce rubber gloves in medical industry,was first surgeon in chief.Later in order to protect his nurse’s hands,he reached out to Goodyear Rubber Co. to create rubber gloves.Not long later,Halstead’s entire surgical staff wore the gloves during operations.

1894

Joseph Lister is the first surgeon to sterilize surgical tools and dressings and is responsible for the manufacture of sterile surgical gloves. In 1894, about 50% of surgical patients died. Many of these deaths are caused by the surgeon not washing their hands between surgery and examination, thereby transmitting pathogens between patients.

According to a BBC news report, Lister used carbonic acid to disinfect his equipment. This action will be the basis for antiseptic surgery and is the inspiration for Joseph Lawrence to develop Listerine.

1965

In 1941, Ansell Rubber Co. Pty. Ltd. increased funding for surgical glove research.

In 1965, Ansell developed the first disposable medical gloves. Manufacturers use gamma radiation to sterilize gloves.

1992

In March 1992, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) published its blood-borne pathogen standards. Around this time, awareness of HIV has increased and OHSA has implemented rules to protect workers exposed to body fluids. OSHA's standards require employers to provide personal protective equipment for these workers, including disposable gloves.

The administration still requires the use of gloves in many applications, such as phlebotomy.

The nitrile gloves were first introduced in the mid-1990s.

Mid-1990s

During this period, nitrile disposable gloves first appeared on the market. These gloves are derived from acrylonitrile and butadiene monomers and have higher chemical resistance than latex gloves. In addition, these gloves are ideal for patients with latex allergy and medical environments where patients may have allergies.

According to the Journal of Health & Safety International, many manufacturers are beginning to use nitrile because it is clear that this material is very useful in medical applications. Although nitrile can be used more frequently than latex, synthetic rubber is not a substitute for its predecessor. Instead, it is a product that targets another market: chemical resistance.

Nowadays

Disposable gloves were born in the medical industry, and most of the innovation stems from the need for exam applications. However, in recent years, attention has turned to the safe use of disposable gloves, such as automobiles, food service and processing, industrial and sanitation.