Gloves on, or gloves off?

Because contaminated hands can transfer viruses and bacteria to up to 14 other subjects, the personal hygiene of employees who handle products destined for public use or consumption must be impeccable to prevent the spread of germs. It’s critical that anyone in a management role within the manufacturing industry has a solid understanding of the principles of good hand hygiene and can establish and maintain protocols.

One of the more common hand hygiene protocols is, of course, insisting employees who handle products for human consumption or work in sensitive manufacturing environments wear latex gloves. Gloves can play a huge role in the prevention of cross-contamination, 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 insisting employees wear gloves to make the best possible decision. There are a number of factors to take into consideration. Table 1 lists some of the advantages and disadvantages of using gloves in a pharma manufacturing environment.

How to minimise risks

For managers who do decide to implement a ‘gloves on’ policy, there are some guidelines to try and minimise unforeseen hygiene risks associated with gloves as a result of, for example, 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 after coming into contact with a contaminated material

• do not reuse disposable gloves

• 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. Eventhe best gloves are no substitute forregular, thorough hand washing.