Protective gloves are designed to serve as a physical barrier, reducing the risk of contamination to the wearer’s hands and limiting the spread of microorganisms to the environment. Gloves are temporary tools that become conduits for contamination if not properly managed. Glove use does not eliminate the need for proper hand hygiene. Hands must be washed thoroughly before donning a new pair of gloves and immediately after removal.
Immediate Need: Damage and Visible Soiling
The most straightforward reason to discard and replace a glove is a compromise to its physical integrity. A glove ceases to function as an effective barrier the moment it is damaged by punctures, rips, tears, or snags. Even microscopic perforations or hard-to-see pinholes can allow pathogens to pass through to the skin or from the hand to the work environment.
For those handling chemicals or operating in electrical environments, the barrier’s integrity must be verified visually, and sometimes with an air test, before each use. If any visible damage is detected, the glove must be removed immediately to prevent exposure. Any visible soiling on the exterior of the glove also mandates an immediate change.
Gloves that come into contact with high-risk contaminants, such as blood, bodily fluids, or harsh cleaning agents, must be immediately removed and properly disposed of. Allowing a contaminated glove to remain on the hand transfers that threat to every subsequent surface it touches. Damage or contamination signals that the protective barrier has failed or is actively spreading hazards.
Preventing Cross-Contact: Changing Between Tasks
A glove that appears clean may still be contaminated, which is why a change is mandatory when switching between different types of tasks to prevent the transfer of unseen threats, a process known as cross-contact. This principle is stringently applied in food service, where moving between raw and ready-to-eat products is a major contamination vector. For example, handling raw poultry, which harbors bacteria like Salmonella, and then using the same gloves to slice cooked vegetables instantly transfers those pathogens.
A new pair of gloves is required after touching any non-food contact surface that is likely to harbor germs. This includes answering a phone, handling money, or touching a trash receptacle. The hands must be washed before the new gloves are donned to ensure any contamination transferred during the removal process is eliminated.
In healthcare and sanitation, the same principle applies to moving from a “dirty” to a “clean” area. A healthcare worker must change gloves after contact with one patient and before touching another to prevent patient-to-patient germ transmission. This also applies to moving from managing soiled linens or waste disposal to preparing medications or touching clean medical equipment. Touching one’s own body, such as adjusting hair or wiping the face, requires a glove change before returning to the task.
Time Limits and Industry Requirements
Beyond physical damage or task-based cross-contact, certain industries mandate glove changes based purely on the duration of use. In food service, for instance, regulatory guidelines often require gloves to be changed at least every four hours during continuous use, even if the gloves appear clean and the task has not changed. This time limit is established because the warm, moist environment created inside the glove from natural hand perspiration encourages rapid bacterial growth. Over a four-hour period, pathogens can multiply to unsafe levels.
For work involving chemicals, the breakthrough time of the glove material itself must be considered. Chemical permeation occurs when a substance migrates through the glove material at a molecular level, exposing the wearer even without a visible tear. Contact with certain chemicals can also cause material degradation, such as swelling, cracking, or discoloration, which permanently compromises the glove’s protective properties and necessitates immediate disposal. Manufacturers provide specific breakthrough times for various chemicals, and the glove must be changed before that time limit is reached.
Finally, a mandatory glove change is required whenever a worker leaves the immediate work area or procedure. Gloves must be removed before taking a break, using the restroom, or at the end of a shift, regardless of how short the interruption is. This ensures that the hands are cleaned and that any contaminants picked up while away from the task are not reintroduced when work resumes. The proper removal and disposal of the old glove, followed by handwashing, is the final step in ensuring the protective purpose of the glove is fully realized.