Gloves for first responders

What kind of gloves should first responders to major natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina wear?

A report in Industrial Hygiene News says exposure to pathogenic microorganisms from injured victims and the flood waters around New Orleans required heavy duty nitrile gloves, because nitrile provides chemical resistance to petroleum hydrocarbons.

After the flood waters in the Gulf Coast receded, the cleanup efforts changed, requiring a different set of protective gear for cleaning debris. General purpose, heavy duty work gloves and cut-resistant gloves with abrasion resistance were worn by responders.

When relief efforts moved into the rebuilding phase, another hazard needed to be addressed. Mold is a major concern for rebuilding homes that contained flood waters, so nitrile gloves were worn again for removing mold contaminated building materials.

Protecting workers’ hands from contaminants is an important part of any clean-up or response effort. Workers should follow the standards set by organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association to select the appropriate glove for the specific task at hand.