Businesses around the world utilize the power of nitrile gloves daily, from healthcare to food service and even the cosmetics industry. The best nitrile gloves help prevent exposure to pathogens, chemicals, and other routine hazards. The thickness of your nitrile gloves will help determine the number of materials you can safely work with, so it is crucial to establish the needs of your business before investing in nitrile gloves.
Nitrile gloves are hugely beneficial for businesses, as most workers do not possess a nitrile allergy. This allows businesses to purchase nitrile gloves in bulk to fit their needs. However, it is important to invest in thick nitrile gloves that can protect your employees from the daily hazards of your given industry.
With that said, what do nitrile gloves protect against? How thick should nitrile gloves be, and where can you find the highest quality nitrile gloves for your business?
Here are Primo Dental Products, we are going to answer those questions and more. We have over 30 years of experience sourcing top-quality gloves and other personal protective equipment, and thanks to our roots in the dental industry, we know exactly what businesses are searching for.
Read on for our guide on how to determine how thick your nitrile gloves should be!
Why are Thick Nitrile Gloves Better Than Their Thin Counterparts?
Safety is the top priority for every business. Whether you are a customer-facing business that needs to eliminate the risk of pathogens, or you are a manufacturer opting to protect your workers from the dangers of toxic and thermal hazards, high-quality nitrile gloves are there to help. What separates a nitrile glove with the proper thickness from one that is too flimsy to protect you, and how thick should nitrile gloves be for your business?
Thick nitrile gloves affect the level of protection and durability provided. Thicker nitrile gloves offer greater protection against punctures, tears, and chemicals, making them suitable for high-risk applications common to medical and industrial settings. Durability is also a huge plus for thick nitrile gloves, as they tend to last much longer than their thin counterparts, due to the latter’s tendency to tear under pressure easily.
Thick nitrile gloves have an additional benefit compared to other materials. When comparing vinyl vs nitrile gloves, for example, thick nitrile gloves are more durable and heat resistant, protecting users from harsh oils and chemicals.
How Thick Should Nitrile Gloves Be?
The thickness of nitrile gloves is generally measured in a unit called “mils”, where 1 mil is equivalent to a gauge of 0.001 inches. Gloves lower than 2 mils are considered thin, with greater amounts ranking as thicker.
When searching for disposable nitrile gloves for your business, you will want to aim for somewhere between 4 to 8 mil for most purposes. If you are searching for medical-grade or industrial-grade gloves, that range should cover most applications. However, it is important to note that if you are working with extremely harsh chemicals, such as hydrofluoric acid, you may need to change gloves every 15 minutes to ensure you have the proper protection levels. When selecting gloves for chemical handling, it is important to consider the nitrile gloves' chemical resistance to ensure adequate protection against potentially harmful substances.
The thickness of nitrile gloves must be weighed against the user’s comfort level, along with the need for tactile sensitivity. Gloves that are too thick may impede the user’s ability to maintain precision in key moments, such as surgery and food preparation. You may wish to purchase multiple sizes of thickness depending on your given field, to find a level of thickness that works best with the comfort level of the users.
Overall, gloves between 4 and 8 mils should cover use cases for the vast majority of business owners. Gloves under 4 mil are still viable for lower-risk settings, such as general cleaning or food service, as they can still provide adequate protection from pathogens.
What are the Thickest Nitrile Gloves?
So, now that you know the range of most nitrile gloves lands around 4 to 8 mils, what are the thickest nitrile gloves, and how can they be used?
The thickest nitrile gloves are typically used in industrial settings, ranging from 8 to 15 mils of thickness. These gloves provide the highest level of durability and protection against punctures, chemicals, and tears. Gloves in the 14 to 15 mils range offer a massive amount of chemical protection, though it is important to note that gloves these thick may come at the cost of lower flexibility and comfort.
While 14 to 15 mil thickness gloves are perfect for specific scenarios in industrial and manufacturing settings, overall the thickest nitrile gloves for most businesses will still land in the range of 4 to 8 mils.
As a rule, be sure to consult with the proper documentation for any harsh chemicals you are working with to ensure the correct safety standards are followed before choosing to invest in nitrile gloves. Doing so allows you and your business to remain safe when working with hazardous substances, without the need to over-invest in rigid, uncomfortable gloves for general use.
If You’re Looking for Thick Nitrile Gloves, Your Search Ends at Primo Dental Products!
Ready to buy nitrile gloves online? Make sure you are purchasing nitrile gloves from a high-quality respected dealer, like Primo Dental Products. We are based out of New Jersey in the United States, with over 30 years and thousands of satisfied businesses under our belt. We have thousands of reviews on our website across our inventory, and you can rest assured that if your business requires PPE, we have the answer for you.
If you are still finding yourself wracked with questions, there’s no need to worry! You can reach out to us at any time and we will help guide you to the proper gloves and PPE for your business needs.
Other Tips When Shopping for Nitrile Gloves Online
Once you have figured out where to buy nitrile gloves, you will want to get specific about the needs of your business. For example, you may require heat resistant nitrile gloves when working with thermal hazards common to industries like welding, food service, and glass manufacturing.
You may have additional questions to consider when shopping for nitrile gloves based on the type of business you run. For example, are nitrile gloves food safe, and are nitrile gloves latex free? Fortunately, the answer to those questions is yes, making nitrile gloves the perfect option for a food service business that needs to adapt to latex allergies on the staff. Additionally, nitrile gloves are useful in emergency medicine settings when a patient’s latex allergy status may be unknown.
Shopping for nitrile gloves also comes with the challenge of determining which sizes will benefit your staff. Generally, buying at least one box of each size will help cover your bases, allowing you to adjust for future orders as needed. This is especially true when considering surgical glove sizes, as improperly sized gloves can pose significant dangers through tearing or lack of tensile strength. Selecting the correct size for your gloves will ensure your staff and you are properly equipped for the day-to-day tasks of your business.
Wrapping Up Our Guide on Finding Thick Nitrile Gloves
Nitrile gloves are a knight in shining armor for many businesses across a wide variety of industries. Businesses in the healthcare field love nitrile gloves for their ability to protect patients and practitioners from harmful pathogens and latex allergies, while food service and hospitality businesses benefit greatly from maintaining food safety and providing a sanitary environment for customers and guests.
Of course, nitrile gloves are also a critical tool in industrial settings. Nitrile gloves offer high levels of chemical resistance and thermal protection when working with hazardous material, common to fields like glass manufacturing and welding.
Determining the proper level of thickness for your business is crucial to ensuring the long-term safety of your employees and customers. As a general rule, nitrile gloves with a thickness rating of 4 to 8 mils are up to the task for most hazards, but industrial settings may wish to invest in nitrile gloves to 15 mils in thickness.
For all of your personal protective equipment needs, Primo Dental Products has you covered. With over 30 years of experience and roots in the dental industry, we know exactly what it takes to source high-quality PPE that can benefit your business. Shop our PPE store online today to revolutionize the safety of your business with high-quality products. We also offer face masks made in USA, guaranteeing your employees will remain safe and protected.