How to Safely Remove Disposable Gloves

Do your colleagues know how to remove their disposable gloves safely? A simple task, one might think, but it’s not a straightforward procedure. One wrong move could end up with damage to the skin, not to mention contaminating the immediate surroundings! Therefore it’s really important to know how to remove gloves safely.

Glove Selection

But before we focus on the important topic of safe glove removal, there are a few points to note when selecting a disposable glove to wear in the first place. The chosen gloves need to:

• provide suitable protection for the task
• be the correct size (Check out our Hand Sizing Chart for assistance).

Hands should also be clean and dry before putting a glove on.

The Dangers of Cross-Contamination

When working with chemicals, cleaning fluids or other substances, it’s important that any contaminant on the outer surface of the glove is not transferred onto the skin or other ‘clean’ objects including other items of PPE. All too easily, the correct procedure is not followed, and skin irritation as well as cross-contamination can result. This can not only cause great distress and pain to the individual, but it can also cause downtime in your business. This can be minimised and ultimately avoided by following a few simple steps.

A How-To Guide for the Removal (Doffing) of Disposable Gloves:

1. Pinch and hold the outside of the glove near the wrist area.
2. Peel downwards, away from the wrist, turning the glove inside out.
3. Pull the glove away until it is removed from the hand and hold the inside-out glove with the gloved hand.
4. With your un-gloved hand, slide your finger/s under the wrist of the remaining glove, taking care not to touch the outside of the glove.
5. Again, peel downwards, away from the wrist, turning the glove inside out.
6. Continue to pull the glove down and over the inside-out glove being held in your gloved hand.
7. This will ensure that both gloves are inside out, one glove enveloped inside the other, with no contaminant on the bare hands.

Educational Material

Our poster provides a pictorial guide to removing disposable gloves.

You can download it in either A3 or A4 size to help educate your workforce.

Alternatively, you can use or embed our educational video: Guide to Donning and Doffing of Non-Sterile Disposable Gloves.

And finally a few DO’s and DON’Ts to remember

• DON’T touch environmental surfaces – eg: door handles, a keyboard, a computer mouse – with contaminated gloves
• DON’T touch your face or adjust PPE with contaminated gloves
• DON’T remove one glove, and then pull the other glove off by the fingertips
• DON’T reuse disposable gloves once they have been removed

• DO safely remove excess liquid beforehand
• DO change gloves when heavily soiled or if torn
• DO dispose of used gloves appropriately, in accordance with your company policy
• DO cleanse hands in line with your company’s skin care guidelines
• DO please follow our easy instructions!