General

Exam Grade Gloves:

Examination or Medical-grade gloves differ from Industrial grade gloves in that they are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and are accepted for use by doctors, dentists, labs, or any other application requiring a specific barrier to blood or infectious agents. These gloves are non-surgical, non-sterile, and are regulated by stringent FDA requirements requiring specific production and quality control standards (detailed in FDA 510(k) Class II Medical Device Listing).

General Purpose Gloves:

General Purpose gloves are accepted (but not “approved” or “certified”) for use in General Purpose, industrial or any other application that does not require a specific barrier to blood or infectious agents. This is the most common glove found in the marketplace and popular uses include General Purpose, packaging, automotive, painting and health & beauty.

General Purpose gloves are, in fact, exam grade gloves that do not undergo FDA mandated quality control tests (e.g. FDA water leak testing). Our gloves are manufactured as medical grade, yet do not undergo the final steps of the FDA testing process. This gives Don the Glove a near-exam level of quality. What differentiates the gloves is a higher “AQL” (Acceptable Quality Level - FDA benchmark for rejection rates) than “B” or “C” grade gloves.

Don the Glove offers gloves with an AQL of 2.5% - 4.0%, meaning a medical grade rejection rate of only 2 – 4 gloves per 100.

Employees in the healthcare field and other work settings use exam gloves for a variety of tasks involving "non-sterile" contact. But for the best results, workers must take special precautions when donning and using the disposable gloves.

Although non-sterile, exam gloves provide workers an important protective barrier against chemicals and other potentially irritating substances. Wearing them is also a basic element of good hand hygeine, which is crucial in healthcare environments. Therefore, exam gloves should be easily accessible in treatment areas and all other locations where hand protection is required.

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Medical gloves come in a wide variety of colors from white to green, creating a unique challenge for work environments. The many colors of medical gloves can confuse users and result in problems from using the wrong type of glove.

For example, different manufacturers of medical gloves may use different colors for synthetic and latex gloves, which can cause irritations and allergic reactions in some people. Synthetic medical gloves from Manufacturer A may be green-colored, while Manufacturer B prefers to make them tan. An unsuspecting, latex-sensitive worker-assuming all green medical gloves are synthetic-chooses the wrong type of glove and develops an irritation.

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Choosing the right type of medical gloves can be a daunting and confusing. But it doesn’t have to be, if you understand the standards and tests that are used to measure the performance of medical gloves. Knowing this can help you make an intelligent evaluation of different glove products. And this can help you determine which type of glove is the best for specific situations and procedures.

First, it’s important to understand that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health is responsible for regulating medical devices such as gloves. FDA requirements define performance properties, such as the minimum strength and barrier protection that these products must exhibit. Standards and test methods are developed by organizations such as the American Society of Testing and Materials and various international groups. Many of these members are This helps assure that the tests are scientifically sound and appropriate and that the test methods fairly and accurately assess products made from a variety of manufacturing approaches, formulations and materials. Testing is conducted in a variety of areas including barrier protection, strength, biocompatibility and protection against microorganisms.

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Wearing disposable medical gloves is an important step in protecting workers against contamination, infections and other risks in healthcare settings. The practice of wearing gloves surged after 1987, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said healthcare workers should use medical gloves to protect against AIDS and hepatitis.

Research has demonstrated the importance and effectiveness of medical gloves in allowing healthcare workers to provide care for infectious patients while protecting their own health. The use of gloves can also inhibit the spread of dangerous pathogens within the healthcare setting, thus enhancing the safety of everyone. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) dictates that gloves should be worn whenever users anticipate coming in contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials; mucous membranes; non-intact skin; and when handling or touching contaminated items or surfaces.

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