The new FDA ruling, which goes into effect in approximately 24 months, establishes the following Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL).

• AQL of 1.5 for surgical gloves
• AQL of 2.5 for exam gloves

Remember, exam gloves with a lower AQL have fewer pinholes or “barrier defects

We came across this site the other day and thought it was creative enough to share.  What will people think of next?

Our advice: use nitrile, synthetic or vinyl exam gloves — just to be safe from latex allergies.

On December 9, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its final ruling on test procedures and minimum acceptable criteria for surgical and exam gloves.

One of the most important aspects of the rule involves increasing the accepted barrier quality of medical and exam gloves sold in the United States.  Per the FDA:

“The rule will accomplish this by reducing the current acceptable quality levels (AQLs) for leaks and visual defects observed during FDA testing of medical gloves. By reducing the AQLs for medical gloves, FDA will also harmonize its AQLs with consensus standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and ASTM International (ASTM).”

The final rule becomes effective on December 19, 2008.

On November 14th 2006, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced an update to its guidance on avian flu. The original guidance was released in March 2004.

This most recent version has separate recommendations for various types of employees, including: laboratory / health care workers, food handlers, poultry workers, and workers handling other animals. The guidance describes various avian viruses and their backgrounds, paying particular attention to the H5N1 subtype currently in Asia, Europe, and Africa. The guidance also indicates best practice precautions and protective measures. For example, in regards to hand protection, the document states the following:

• Wear lightweight disposable nitrile or vinyl exam gloves, or wear heavy-duty rubber work gloves that can be disinfected;

• Avoid touching the face and mucous membranes, including the eyes, with gloved hands that have been contaminated;

• Gloves should be changed if torn, punctured, or otherwise damaged;

• Remove gloves promptly after use;

• Gloves used should be appropriate for the activities, e.g., for some activities it may be more appropriate to use thick rather than lightweight exam gloves;

• Long-term use of gloves can result in dermatitis caused by prolonged exposure to perspiration. This can be alleviated by donning a thin cotton glove inside the external glove.

For more information, you may read the entire guidance (OSHA 3323-10N 2006) in the avian flu section of OSHA’s website.

Yesterday marked the launch of a “Bad Hand Day” campaign aimed at encouraging the 130,000 + hairdressers in the United Kingdom to don latex-free gloves to protect their hands.  An astounding 50% are at risk from a painful, inflammatory condition of the skin called dermatitis.

The campaign was initiated jointly by UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with Habia (The Hair and Beauty Industry Authority) and the National Hair Federation.  The goal is to educate hairdressers about work-related dermatitis which is exacerbated by exposure to products like shampoo, chemicals and repeated periods of wet-work.

Wearing latex-free gloves can prevent dermatitis but a majority of hairdressers believe their clients are put-off by the gloves.