Vinyl gloves are often a popular choice for the food industry. These disposable gloves are often less durable and are the least expensive option for situations where flexibility and ease of use is required and durability is not quite as important. Budget friendly and useful in many different industries it’s no wonder they’re so popular.

Vinyl gloves are latex free and so are suitable for anyone wearing protective gloves that may have a latex allergy. They are a great fit for most people and provide more agility so hands can move freely enabling most tasks to be done quickly and efficiently. For low risk tasks where gloves are needed for short periods, vinyl gloves are a suitable, low cost option.

Vinyl gloves are most suitable when used for low risk activities. They are best avoided where hazardous materials are being used. Vinyl gloves come lightly coated in powder such as cornstarch, making them easy to put on and take off again after your tasks are complete.

The benefits of vinyl gloves and when to look for an alternative

There are a number of benefits for choosing vinyl gloves over other types of protective gloves. Gloves made from vinyl are manufactured in a way to enable stretch and versatility whilst they are also able to hold up against punctures, stretch and general wear and tear. They can be used for healthcare tasks, keeping hands safe from contamination. However, for urgent tasks such as surgery or where strength and durability is needed, the medical industry would avoid vinyl due to the risks of slitting under pressure due to the low elasticity provided by vinyl gloves in comparison to other gloves such as nitrile gloves. If health risks and contamination are a concern, the correct grade of protective glove can provide some protection against contamination from bodily fluids such as blood and pathogens however the realisation that not every risk will be protected against needs to be fully explored and steps taken to protect employees.

Tasks that are optimised using vinyl gloves

There is a great deal of varied scope for the use of vinyl gloves and many industries can benefit from their use for the protection of hands and reduce the contamination of products. Medical tasks, food handling, chemical and oil industries and also painting tasks can benefit from the use of vinyl gloves. They are effective in protecting against oily substances, acid, emulsions and other liquids and serve well in food preparation where cross contamination needs to be kept to a strict minimum. Due to their antistatic nature, they are also useful when working with wires and cords. Stripping back sheaths on cords with tools can cause static and these gloves are useful in protecting hands from chafing.

Options for those with allergies

The substance used to create vinyl gloves is also known as PVC(polyvinyl chloride)and is one of the most widely used, readily available plastics in the manufacturing of protective gloves. The durability and protective properties of PVC enables gloves to be made as an alternative to natural rubber and replaces latex as an allergen free alternative. Another benefit of PVC is its low cost and couple with its biological and chemical resistance vinyl gloves become the most versatile protective glove across the industries and are suitable for household tasks. Next time you’re completing a task such as food prep, or looking to order some gloves to protect your hands whilst performing tasks such as low risk healthcare jobs, consider how much better the job would be performed by choosing flexible, adaptable vinyl gloves.