[labnetwork] Glove and mask use

Tue Jan 28 12:28:43 EST 2025

Hi Bernhard,

As Rob mentioned, it’s crucial to use gloves specifically designed for chemical handling, as they provide superior protection against chemical permeation— they are also about 10 times thicker than typical cleanroom gloves. Thin-walled cleanroom gloves are primarily for comfort and dexterity, and while they should be worn underneath, they should not come into direct contact with chemicals.

To prevent contamination of masks, it’s best practice to use a face shield in addition to the mask. The face shield provides an extra layer of protection, helping to shield the mask from direct chemical exposure. This is particularly important if the operator inadvertently splashes chemicals or touches contaminated surfaces while working. The face shield serves as a barrier between the operator and the potential for chemical contact, further reducing the risk of contamination.

Good luck with your discussions with the occupational safety team!

Andi Batchelor

Customer Advocate

VALUTEK

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________________________________
From: labnetwork <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> on behalf of Robert Nidetz <nidetz at umich.edu>
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2025 9:52 AM
To: Bernhard Reineke <bernhard.reineke at uni-paderborn.de>
Cc: labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: [labnetwork] Glove and mask use

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of Valutek, Inc. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

Hi Bernhard,

We require face masks and double gloves in our facility. All users are encouraged to change their outer gloves if they deem them dirty or believe they have been contaminated and we discourage users from touching their faces while working in the lab.

In addition, we have specialty gloves for when our users are working with chemicals. For organics they wear disposable Polychloroprene gloves (which are distinctly green) and for acids and bases they wear reusable Trionic gloves (distinctly large, thick, and yellow). Our users are trained to understand that these gloves are contaminated with chemicals and that any surface they touch with these gloves will also be contaminated. Therefore, they are not allowed to touch common elements (i.e. computers or chemical cabinets) while wearing these gloves - let alone their face mask or goggles.

I hope that helps.

Thanks, Rob

On Mon, Jan 27, 2025 at 11:39 AM Bernhard Reineke <bernhard.reineke at uni-paderborn.de<mailto:bernhard.reineke at uni-paderborn.de>> wrote:
Dear all,

currently, we are in discussions with our occupational safety team and they are having issues allowing us to use masks in the cleanroom, as we work with chemicals and there is a concern that chemicals could be transferred from the gloves to the mask and inhaled. Have you encountered similar problems? Do you have any suggestions on how to address this issue? We would be happy for any suggestion.

I asked my colleagues and they suggested using double gloving and disposing of the contaminated gloves after contact with chemicals. What are your opinions?

Best Wishes,

Bernhard Reineke Matsudo
Paderborn University
PhoQS
Warburg Straße 100
33098 Paderborn
Germany
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