Cleanrooms can certainly differ from one application to the next, but one aspect they all share is the need for adequate hand protection. Glove products can vary widely in sterility, weight, length, resistance to contaminants, and the materials from which they are made, affecting how you choose one hand-protection product over another for your critical environment.
Compiled by Angela Godwin
Ultraclean gloves
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Value-Tek sterile gloves are ultraclean, containing very low particulate and extractable matter. The company’s latex gloves are Class 100 [ISO Class 5] and its nitrile gloves exceed Class 10 [ISO Class 4] requirements. Polypouch and chevron seal packaging allow for ease of donning, minimizing the risk of compromised sterility. Value-Tek provides both certificates of sterility and lot traceability. Visit the company’s Web site to request sterile glove samples.
Value-Tek
Phoenix, Ariz.
www.value-tek.com
Polyethylene gloves
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The UltragloveTM manufactured by KNF Clean Room Products is fabricated using pure additive-free polyethylene film and manufactured in a cleanroom environment according to the stringent UltracleanTM cleanliness level. The glove is final-tested to determine ash content and any presence of additives such as slip, antiblock, AHTs and BHTs. The Ultraglove is widely used in the polysilicon and wafer production industries due to its low cation and anion content. It is highly chemical-resistant, making it suitable for the laboratory and chemical production industries. A sterilized Ultraglove is ideal for the medical, biomedical, medical device and veterinary medicine fields.
KNF Clean Room Products
Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
www.knfcorporation.com
Protective gloves
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New ChemTek® gloves from Ansell Healthcare provide protection for handling hazardous chemicals in manufacturing and chemical processing environments. Two different glove styles are offered in the new line: ChemTek butyl, which delivers the ketone resistance of natural rubber combined with better hydrocarbon resistance; and ChemTek Viton®, a dual-polymer glove for applications where a high level of protection is needed for aggressive chemical exposure. ChemTek butyl gloves offer excellent dexterity and high permeation resistance to gases and chemical vapors. They are appropriate for aggressive environments in which workers require protection against esters, ketones, strong oxidizing agents and a wide range of chemicals considered particularly harsh. For heavier duty applications, flexible ChemTek Viton gloves feature Viton/butyl construction to ensure the highest chemical resistance against aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene or xylene. The gloves provide superior barrier protection from most chlorinated solvents and aliphatic hydrocarbons and ensure an added level of protection when facing exposure to hazardous chemicals and unknown contaminants. ChemTek butyl gloves are available in 14, 20 and 28 mil versions with either a rough or smooth finish. ChemTek Viton gloves are offered in thicknesses of 12 mil, 20 mil or 28 mil and feature a smooth finish. Both the ChemTek butyl and Viton gloves may be ordered in 12- and 14-inch lengths for easy donning and added wrist protection.
Ansell Healthcare
Red Bank, N.J.
www.ansellpro.com
Nitrile gloves
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Qosina offers several disposable nitrile gloves in its inventory of procedure tray components. The gloves are available in several sizes (medium, large, and extra large) in light blue, green or black. These accelerator-free, latex-free and powder-free gloves offer enhanced dexterity and reduced hand fatigue. Their composition is least likely to cause allergic reaction while supplying comfortable barrier protection against a variety of chemicals. Both the luminous green and black gloves have textured fingertips for increased gripping potential. Additionally, the black gloves are ESD- and static-dissipative, making them an excellent choice for electronics and security environments. The luminous green gloves are ideal for high-visibility or color-coded assignments.
Qosina
Edgewood, N.Y.
www.qosina.com