SAFETY & HYGIENE
Gloves on, or gloves off ? A lapse in good hygiene practices could have serious and farreaching consequences. Rentokil weighs up the pros and cons of wearing gloves as a principle of good hand hygiene.
B
ecause contaminated hands
insisting employees wear gloves to
can transfer viruses and
make the best possible decision. There
bacteria to up to 14 other
are a number of factors to take into
subjects, the personal hygiene
consideration. Table 1 lists some of
of employees who handle products
the advantages and disadvantages
destined for public use or consumption
of using gloves in a pharma
must be impeccable to prevent the
manufacturing environment.
spread of germs. It’s critical that anyone in a management role within
How to minimise risks
the manufacturing industry has a solid
For managers who do decide to
understanding of the principles of
implement a ‘gloves on’ policy, there
good hand hygiene and can establish
are some guidelines to try and minimise
and maintain protocols.
unforeseen hygiene risks associated
Along with wearing intact gloves, the most important hygiene precaution is proper hand washing and drying
with gloves as a result of, for example,
One of the more common hand hygiene protocols is, of course, insisting
wearing the same pair of gloves for extended periods or complacency: • create a glove wearing policy and train employees on glove standard operating procedures • wash and sanitise hands before putting on gloves • remove contaminated gloves and replace them with fresh ones when moving between surfaces or products • change gloves immediately
employees who handle products
after coming into contact with a
for human consumption or work in
contaminated material
sensitive manufacturing environments
• do not reuse disposable gloves
DID YOU KNOW?
The type of soap, and in particular the design of the soap dispenser, is another important aspect of the efficacy of hand washing in good hygiene practices. Source: Journal of Validation Technology
• always dispose of gloves before using the toilet or restroom • understand which type of glove is best suited for the intended purpose • replace gloves every two hours to guard against punctures • ensure wearing of gloves and regular hand washing are seen as complementary activities, rather than mutually exclusive. It’s safe to say, along with wearing intact gloves, the most important hygiene precaution is proper hand washing and drying. This includes washing hands with hot water and soap, followed by drying with a clean paper towel before putting gloves on and after removing them. Even the best gloves are no substitute for regular, thorough hand washing. •
Rentokil Initial – www.initial.co.za
wear latex gloves. Gloves can play a huge role in the prevention of crosscontamination, and glove compliance is more easily monitored than a hand washing regime. However, there is clear evidence to suggest that gloves do not always prevent pathogens from spreading. This is because gloves themselves can be the source of contamination, just like bare hands. Gloves clearly aren’t the silver bullet to hand hygiene, and managers should seriously consider both the advantages and disadvantages of
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Table 1
Advantages of wearing gloves
Disadvantages of wearing gloves
Act as an extra layer over hands that may be contaminated with pathogenic organisms
The wrong sized glove could tear or puncture leading to product contamination due to exposure to skin
Gloves may become contaminated Can be useful if someone returns to work and is themselves and can cause crossrecovering from a virus contamination Compliance is easily monitored
Can create a sense of false security in the mind of the wearer
Protect sensitive hands
May not be changed frequently enough
Improves hand grip
Expensive, leading to an increase in business costs
| NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | P C Review
