What Should You Know About Lab Safety and Glove Selection?

Why is lab safety important?

Lab safety prevents injuries, exposure to hazardous materials, contamination of experiments, and product or sample compromise. Strong safety practices protect people, maintain data integrity, and ensure compliance with institutional and regulatory requirements.

When is it critical to wear gloves in the lab?

Wear gloves whenever handling chemicals, biological materials, unknown substances, contaminated surfaces, sharp items, or equipment that may transfer heat or chemicals.

Gloves are required during sample preparation, cleaning, waste handling, and any task involving potential exposure.

Do labs need sterile gloves?

Sterile gloves are required in aseptic and controlled environments such as cleanrooms, sterile manufacturing, cell therapy, IV compounding, aseptic filling, microbiology plating, and any workflow where eliminating microbial contamination is critical.

Non‑sterile gloves are suitable for general lab work, chemical handling, sample preparation, and non‑aseptic procedures.

Is wearing two pairs of gloves (double gloving) necessary in the lab?

Double gloving is recommended when handling hazardous chemicals, infectious materials, cytotoxic drugs, or during procedures with high exposure risk. It provides an extra barrier and allows the outer glove to be removed quickly if contaminated.

How do you safely put on and remove (don and doff) lab gloves?

Safe donning and doffing prevent contamination and protect your skin from chemical or biological exposure.

👉 For the full step‑by‑step guide, see our detailed Double‑Donning Blog

Which is better for lab work — latex, nitrile or neoprene?

Nitrile is the industry standard for its superior puncture resistance and broad chemical protection, while latex offers the best tactile sensitivity for delicate work and neoprene provides specialized resistance against corrosive acids and alcohols.

Choosing between them depends on whether your priority is durability (nitrile), precision (latex), or chemical-specific protection (neoprene).

👉 See our full list of Nitrile, Latex and Neoprene Lab Gloves

Ansell lab gloves are tested and certified to EN 374‑1 for chemical protection and EN 374‑5 for protection against microorganisms.

Are there lab gloves available for people with allergies?

Yes. Nitrile and neoprene gloves are latex‑free options for those with latex allergies. Some gloves are also accelerator‑free to reduce chemical allergy risks.

👉 See our full list of Accelerator‑Free Glove Options

👉 See our full list of Latex-Free Glove Options

Which AQL rating is best for laboratory gloves?

Labs typically choose gloves with an AQL of 1.5 or lower, as this indicates fewer pinholes and a stronger barrier. Lower AQL numbers mean higher quality and better protection.

When should you use thicker vs. thinner lab gloves?

Thicker gloves (6–15 mils) should be used for high-risk tasks involving extended chemical contact, sharp objects, or heavy-duty cleaning to provide maximum breakthrough time and puncture resistance.

Thinner gloves (3–5 mils) are better for incidental splash protection and delicate tasks, like pipetting or micro-dissection, where high tactile sensitivity and finger dexterity are required to prevent errors.

Are lab gloves "Chemo-Rated" and when do labs need chemo‑tested gloves?

Chemo‑rated gloves are tested against chemotherapy drugs for permeation resistance. Labs need them when handling cytotoxic agents, oncology compounds, or hazardous drug preparations.

👉 See our full list of Chemo Drug Tested Options

How do I know if my gloves are chemical resistant?

Check the glove's permeation data and chemical‑compatibility chart. A glove is chemical‑resistant when it provides a safe breakthrough time for the chemicals you use without rapid degradation or permeation.

👉 Check chemical permeation and degradation ratings for your chemicals using Ansell Guardian™

Explore performance data and material compatibility before choosing your glove.

What type of lab gloves should be used for chemical handling?

Nitrile or neoprene gloves are commonly used for chemical handling due to their resistance to solvents, acids, and bases.

Which lab gloves should be used when working with acetone or strong solvents?

Most standard nitrile gloves do not protect well against acetone. Multilayer laminate, specialized solvent‑resistant gloves, or neoprene blends are typically required.

👉 For reliable solvent protection, explore TouchNTuff™ 93‑800, especially designed for aggressive solvent exposure, including acetone — proven to resist for at least 15 minutes.

What is the ideal glove length for lab environments?

The ideal glove length depends on the task and exposure risk. 12‑inch gloves are suitable for general lab work, light chemical handling, and tasks with limited arm movement. 16‑inch gloves provide extended wrist and forearm coverage, making them better for chemical handling, disinfectant wiping, frequent reaching, and activities where sleeve gaps may occur. In controlled or aseptic environments, longer cuffs help maintain gown–glove overlap and reduce contamination risk.

Ansell offers both 300 mm (12") and 400 mm (16") cleanroom glove lengths to support these varying laboratory needs.