Exam vs Industrial Gloves
Understanding the Key Differences Between
Exam Grade and Industrial Grade Disposable Gloves
Though exam grade and industrial grade gloves are similar in many ways, the intended application matters. Often, exam and industrial grade gloves are made on the same manufacturing lines with the same formulation, and therefore offer the same performance. However, exam grade gloves are highly scrutinized for leaks, and are therefore the most appropriate choice for medical environments and conditions where blood, bodily fluids or bloodborne pathogens may be present.
An exam grade glove is considered a class 1 medical device. The FDA reviews these gloves to ensure the performance criteria and certain physical properties are met. Exam grade gloves must have FDA 510k approval.
Note: Exam grade gloves require an AQL of 2.5 or less.
An industrial grade glove is defined as having an AQL of 4.0 or less.
Differentiation is based on the AQL pinhole rating established by ANSI. ANSI is the international standard that gauges the percentage of pinhole defects in a batch of gloves. This test is conducted by filling gloves from a particular production batch with 1,000 ml of water. The gloves are suspended, with fingers pointed down, and examined for leaks. In a batch of 100 gloves with an AQL of 3.0, only three gloves in that batch can fail the test. If more than three fail, the entire batch is rejected.
A lower AQL score indicates fewer defects, while a higher AQL score indicates more defects.
Are industrial gloves safe to use in food service and food processing applications?Yes, industrial gloves are safe to use in food service and food processing applications. However, buyers should make sure gloves have the appropriate testing approvals. Nitrile industrial gloves and latex industrial gloves should pass US FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 testing and vinyl industrial gloves should pass US FDA 21 CFR 175.300 testing.
When choosing a glove for your specific application, remember the following: You can use an exam grade glove in an industrial application, but you should not use an industrial grade glove in an exam grade/medical application.