Evaluation of fluid leakage at the coverall and glove interface in single and double glove conditions.

Background: Fluid leakage through the glove-protective clothing interface is an area of concern for many health care personnel, including emergency medical service providers, who may wear coveralls to protect themselves from multiple types of hazards. There is currently no established standard test method to specifically evaluate the barrier performance of the glove-protective clothing interface region for any personal protective equipment ensemble.

Objective: This study quantifies the fluid leakage at the coverall and glove interface using single and double gloving.

Methods: A robotic arm, which can simulate upper extremity movements of health care personnel, was used to test 5 coverall models and an extended examination glove model in single and double glove conditions.

Results: The results show that there was a significant difference in fluid leakage amounts between some of the coverall models and the number of glove layers studied. Findings also highlight that there is a high correlation between basis weight and stiffness of the coverall fabrics and the fluid leakage amounts.

Conclusions: These results underline that coverall constructed from thin and less stiff fabrics can result in lower fluid leakage levels. Also, there was no significant difference in fluid leakage amounts between single and double gloves when tested with each of the coverall models, with the exception of the coveralls with the highest basis weight and stiffness.