Cleanroom gloves: Why length matters

Cleanroom gloves are designed to protect either products from contamination or the wearer from exposure to chemicals. Once the main reason for wearing the gloves is established, there are many other glove characteristics to be considered – the required tactility, dexterity, antistatic materials etc. In addition, glove length is a factor that is becoming increasingly important.

The popularity of longer length cleanroom gloves is a result of increased awareness and need for extra personal or product protection, along with a drive to cut costs and reduce environmental impact.

The traditional length of a glove used in a cleanroom is 300mm/12”. However, when handling hazardous chemicals, such as chemotherapy drugs, the wearer should have the increased protection and reassurance from a glove that is 400mm/16” in length, ensuring the entire forearm up to the elbow is covered and protected from the risk of exposure to harmful chemicals.

A glove which measures 600mm/24" in length provides extensive arm coverage when handling chemicals such as disinfectants. Wearing a 600mm/24" glove during cleaning within an aseptic environment will reduce the risk of garments becoming saturated with cleaning chemicals due to them flowing down the glove onto the garment, especially whilst cleaning equipment at height or at an angle.

Product protection is also of the utmost importance; coverage up to the elbow, with a beaded cuff for a more secure fit on the arm, means longer length gloves eliminate the risk of contamination from exposed skin between the gloves and the cleanroom garment.

Using cleanroom gloves that are longer than the industry standard removes the need for additional protective items such as sleeve-covers or the use of cuff tape, thereby saving costs and reducing waste, resulting in a positive impact on the environment.

The BioClean Promise

The BioClean range of 400mm/16” and 600mm/24" cleanroom gloves all meet either 1.5 or 0.65 AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) and are suitable for use within the pharmaceutical, life sciences and microelectronics industries, complying with the requirements of the glove standard EN 420, EN ISO 374:2016.

Available in latex and nitrile, sterile and non-sterile, the range offers extra protection while maintaining stringent product protection protocol.

Written product specifications, test reports, advice and samples for BioClean 400mm/16” and 600mm/24" cleanroom gloves are available on request.