Scientific basis for the selection of emergency medical examination gloves for emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, and emergency department personnel. An update.

The use of powder-free natural rubber or latex-free emergency medical examination gloves is especially important to emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, and emergency department personnel to avoid eliciting an allergic reaction in the latex sensitized patient. The majority of our emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and firefighters are now wearing powder-free emergency medical examination gloves that comply with the stringent codes and standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), while very few hospital emergency department personnel have been provided with NFPA-approved gloves. There are four well-defined goals of this report that will assist emergency medical services, fire departments, and hospitals in the selection and purchase of emergency medical examination gloves. First, we will review again the stringent regulations for emergency medical examination gloves that are outlined by the NFPA. This design and performance standard was devised by the NFPA to address protective clothing for emergency medical operations. The design and performance requirement of the emergency medical examination gloves were described in the NFPA 1999, Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations, 1997 Edition. As of September 2003, the emergency medical examination glove must meet the new design and performance requirements of emergency medical examination gloves discussed in NFPA 1999, Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations, 2003 Edition.