Problem/Solution: The Inconsistencies of Gloves

There are some purchases that quality should matter over price.  When it comes to personal protection equipment, quality is paramount to ensuring your protection, as well as the protection of your clientele. Trying to save money and buying cheap can lead to a whole list of problems. Cheaper products aren’t held to the same quality standards that other, better products are. A very good example of that is medical exam gloves. Recently we were informed about the problem of the inconsistencies in cheap gloves. We thought it necessary to show you the problems that come with cutting corners, and provide a solution that’s not only a good fit for your hands, but also for your budget. 

The Problem

The problem that was brought to us had to deal with inconsistencies of glove sizes. For example, you buy a box of medium gloves, but not all of them are medium. Some can be smaller or larger, resulting in an ill-fitted glove. But why? 

Well, to understand how an inconsistency like this can happen, you need to understand how these products are regulated. Gloves are put through quality testing during manufacturing. The quality level of a batch after these procedures is then quantified into a percentage called an AQL. The AQL, or Acceptable Quality Level, is a percentage rating that each batch of gloves receives to determine the quality of the gloves. And it means that, for the kind of gloves they are, they cannot have more than that percentage of gloves in the batch be defective. For example, gloves that have a higher AQL, something like 3 or 4, are more likely to have defects in that batch. As 3 or 4 percent of gloves in that batch will be defective in some way. 

Gloves with a higher AQL will cost less, and are still good for general situations. But most practitioners use gloves with a lower AQL. Gloves that have lower AQL, like 1.5 for example, will cost a bit  more than cheaper gloves, but will ensure 3 important things:

• There is a much lower risk of pinholes in the gloves
• Level of barrier quality and consistency is higher
• Reduces the risk of exposure to harmful things around you
• Sizing consistency is much greater

So when it’s time to choose personal protection equipment, sometimes staying cheap can cause problems. But when you need gloves with a low AQL that won’t break the bank, Halyard has you covered. 

The Halyard Solution

Halyard has proven time and time again that they can not only meet the standards set for medical gloves, but exceed them. There are standards for types of medical gloves that need to meet a certain standard for a specific job. Exam gloves need to meet an AQL of 2.5, and surgical/sterile gloves need an AQL of 1.5. Low numbers for a higher standard of protection. But with Halyard, each of their gloves are tested and ranked at an AQL of just 1.0. Meaning, when you make the switch to Halyard, they’ve made sure you won’t regret it. And if you need some examples, we’ve found a couple that can represent Halyard perfectly. 

Halyard’s tried and true Purple Nitrile Gloves offer a general option able to tackle a wide variety of challenges. With the power of nitrile, you’re already getting the best defense possible. In a form-fitting glove that fits to you through body heat for a secure, yet comfortable feel. Add an AQL of 1.0 to that, and these gloves are practically guaranteed to solve all of your problems. And all it takes is one pull from their SmartPull packaging to ensure you get the right amount of gloves every time. No worries about wasting the gloves or your money. 

Or if you’d like a more unique approach, Halyard’s Black-Fire gloves are one of the coolest-looking gloves of its kind. And that impressive look isn’t just for show: These gloves have that signature nitrile strength in two different layers–one black, one orange. And with an AQL of 1.0, you know that you’re getting the best protection out of both layers. Thanks to Halyard’s Quick Check technology, if the black layer tears, then the orange layer will be visible. This indicator helps more quickly verify if your glove’s defense layer is compromised and allows for a fast acting fix. Not only that, but being reversible allows a more wide variety of jobs with the orange layer having uses in its own right.

And aside from just these two examples, Halyard has many more kinds of gloves for many more kinds of jobs! And you can browse Halyard’s entire collection of nitrile gloves here on our website.