SAFETY TRAINING CHECKLIST
 Have read and understood universal precautions – personal protective
equipment policy in the safety manual.
 Types of gloves available e.g. nitrile, vinyl.
 Inspects for leakage before wearing.
 Completely cover hands and wrists so that gloves and sleeves overlap.
 Replaces gloves frequently, whenever torn, damaged or contaminated.
 Wear as task specific (e.g. remove of and dispose of after use with
contaminants).
 Remove gloves before leaving lab area.
 Knows where to dispose of gloves.
 Practice glove removal techniques before handling toxic or infectious
material.
 Knows that gloves will protect us from contamination, but does not
provide us with absolute protection.
 Knows that gloves do not protect us from broken glass.
 Removes gloves before handling ‘clean’ items such as photocopiers and
telephones.
 Never attempts to reuse disposable gloves.
 Washes hands before and after using gloves.
Gloves
Gloves are used in laboratory operations to provide protection from:
 Chemicals and fluids
 Cold
 Heat
 Product contamination
 Infectious substances
 Sharp edges and abrasions
Virtually all health care workers (HCW) are at risk from biological
substances. The danger of contamination arises from both direct and indirect
contact with infected patients, material or biological specimens. By treating
every patient and every sample of body fluid as potentially infectious, the
HCW can avoid contracting potentially fatal infection. Risk of exposure to
infectious agents is reduced by safe work practices, and the proper use of
appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
Direct contact: e.g. venipuncture
Indirect contact: e.g. specimen handling, disposal of garbage
If you have a reaction to the gloves provided, notify your supervisor.
PRECAUTIONS
 To reduce the risk of puncture, keep fingernails short and avoid wearing
rings or bracelets.
 Raw or open scrapes or weeping lesions on your hands must be
protected. A small cut may be covered by a water-impervious bandage.
 Immediately wash your hands and other exposed skin surfaces if they
become contaminated by blood or other specimens. Wash your hand
before and after wearing gloves.
 Replace worn, torn or grossly contaminated gloves immediately.
 When wearing gloves, do not touch your mouth or nose, or clean areas
(e.g. the pockets in your street clothes worn under your lab coat).
 Remove gloves before handling the photocopier and telephones.
PROCEDURE FOR REMOVING GLOVES:
1. Take hold of the outside of the cuff of one glove with the fingers of the
other (gloved) hand.
2. Pull the glove down over the fingers. Continue to hold the glove after
it is removed.
3. With the index and middle fingers of the ungloved hand, grasp the
inside of the glove on the other hand.
4. Pull the glove down over the fingers without touching the outside of the
glove. One glove will now be inside the other.
5. Drop both gloves into a biohazard bag.