Healthcare workers and patients depend on gloves to provide an effective barrier to potentially infectious materials and other contaminants. Vinyl gloves are one of the most common medical gloves, however, they offer the lowest degree of barrier protection for high-risk situations -- especially those involving exposure to blood-borne pathogens.

Who Monitors Vinyl Glove Barrier Protection
Medical devices like gloves are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health. The FDA defines performance properties, such as the minimum strength and the level of barrier protection that these products must exhibit. Specific standards and test methods are developed by organizations such as the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). These organizations are generally comprised of scientists and engineers with expertise in the behavior properties of glove materials, manufacturing processes and test methods.

How Barrier Protection Is Evaluated
Under ASTM testing, all exam gloves must meet certain Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) standards. AQL relates to the product’s freedom from pinholes and typically refers to the barrier protection confidence level. The lower the AQL number, the higher the quality of the product.

There are two main types of tests used to evaluate AQL in gloves—the water leak and the air inflation tests. With the Water Leak Test, a glove is filled with 1,000ML of water and inspected after two minutes for signs of leaking. The Air Inflation Tests involves inflating the glove with compressed air and conducting a visual exam for holes.

Studies have indicted that vinyl gloves have an average after-use failure rate (from puncturing, tearing and other breaches) of 41 percent. Most of the imperfections appeared in the finger region of the gloves.

Strength Also Indicates Potential for Protection
The protective barrier of vinyl gloves is also indicated by the strength of the material. ASTM strength tests are designed to imitate the strain that gloves are subjected to in actual-use situations. Glove strength is measured according to its ability to stretch, as well as resist puncturing and tearing.

Specifically, ASTM testing covers glove elasticity, strength, resistance to puncturing and the force required to tear the material. Here’s a brief description of the specific tests:

1. Elongation or elasticity testing signifies how much the glove material will stretch before it breaks. A higher number is better because it indicates superior performance.
    
2. The Tensile Strength test refers to how much force is needed to stretch a glove until it breaks. Higher numbers reflect superior performance.
    
3. Puncture Resistance testing indicates how pressure the material can stand when impacted by an object.
    
4. V-Tear evaluations measure how much force is needed to create a tear.
    
5. Trouser Tear assessments determine the amount of pressure that’s required to continue a tear once it has begun.

DonTheGlove.com distributes and sells both powdered & powder-free vinyl gloves.