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Safety at Hand: Gloves Offer Protection From Infection, Punctures

NCJ Number
180920
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 26 Issue: 11 Dated: November 1999 Pages: 80-82
Author(s)
Rebecca Kanable
Date Published
November 1999
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Police should use medical gloves whenever they may encounter bloodborne pathogens or bodily fluids, contaminated materials, or infectious materials; when coming into contact with broken skin; or when their own skin is not intact.
Abstract
Police need to recognize that they work in a high-risk setting and need medical gloves that are thick and long. Glove manufacturers such as Microflex Corporation and Gimbel Glove Company have created gloves especially for law enforcement. Microflex gloves come in several types and sizes. Gimbel Law Enforcement Gloves are the only gloves that combine cut, puncture, and body fluid protection into one glove. Police agencies need to take allergies and sensitivities to natural rubber latex into consideration when purchasing gloves. Police officers also need to determine how to carry their gloves. One company has developed glove dispensers that fit belts and dispense one glove at a time. Photographs and information on requirements from the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration