Anyones shop use Nitril gloves as standard practise?

SIM · Sep 14, 2017

I used to keep a box around for cleaning out the machine sumps or cleaning a greasy mess...bathroom. One job on a turret hand my guys hands pruning so I gave him a pair and that started a new trend. Everyone was wearing gloves provided it was not a job that dealt with handling anything moving.

I personally hate wearing them unless needed...needed as in dealing with greasy glop, cleaning coolant sump muck.
I also hate that guys don't mind having gloves dirty and will touch other stuff with filthy hands...keypads, thumb drives, handles, coffee pot, fridge...tooling. Overall its been okay, guys like them, so I went along. When it got bad I'd remind them and we got back on track.
Lately we started going through them like hotcakes, they are being left around and multiple reminders have been made to no avail.
I am rethinking about keeping them stocked on the shelf...especially since we ran out way too soon AND of course nobody mentioned till after the last box was empty.

What the norm in your place?

mister honey · Sep 14, 2017

I keep the 9mil Harbor Freight nitrile gloves on-hand for solvents, paint, varnish, bondo and cleaning related tasks.

BTW, does anyone else wish the HF XL nitrile gloves were offered in 2XL?

The XL must be sized for Chinese (smaller than mine) hands!

Mike

Milland · Sep 14, 2017

I wear them almost all the time I'm in the shop, but reuse them frequently. Very thin style, probably around 5 mil, but they hold up reasonably well. I remove them for any non-shop activities, as I don't like grungy keyboards etc. A quick rinse and paper towel wipe keeps the gloves clean enough that they don't cross-contaminate when they go back on.

007Rob · Sep 14, 2017

I don't like wearing them for normal day to day stuff either unless it's super nasty, harsh chemicals, or whatever but lately any time I have a hard milling job the gloves are on before I touch anything inside the machine.

It makes a big difference with the tiny heat-treated slivers that seem to cover everything inside the machine and drive me crazy.

We do have one guy here whose fingerprints turn into rust spots on our nice ground parts so we make him wear gloves all the time lol

We just keep a few boxes around and don't have any issues but we're a smaller shop

Larry Dickman · Sep 14, 2017

I'm a big fan of "NO Gloves in the shop" just as a general rule.

But, when cleaning out a sump or something nasty, I go up and get some Platex kitchen gloves. They go halfway up your arm, and they're thick enough that splinters don't penetrate them.

Tom Lg · Sep 14, 2017

Larry Dickman said:
...Platex kitchen gloves. They go halfway up your arm, and they're thick enough that splinters don't penetrate them.

Yes. Those Nitrile gloves are made for checking prostate glands, and really aren't durable enough for much else.

Finegrain · Sep 14, 2017

6 mil x 12" long nitrile ( McMaster-Carr ) 100% of the time when running the CNC's as I developed a sensitivity to water-soluble coolant last year. It's either wear the gloves or find a new profession. They typically will go ~1/2 a day per pair.

No gloves when doing anything on one of the manual machines.

Regards.

Mike

DDoug · Sep 14, 2017

Yup, been using them more for wrenching work, it seems whenever I get out the never sieze, I get it all over my
hands....and it's hard to wash off.

I think a couple of post's up above have given me an idea, only buy the super thick ones,
they will do the job for the sump cleaning and such, but are so thick, the employees
might not use them where you don't want them to, like on the keyboard, etc.

Anyone notice that Ed China welds using them ? Granted he's just doing MIG spot welding, but still... :skep:

drbkiller2 · Sep 14, 2017

I don't like wearing them while doing the day to day in the shop. Most others in the shop act like they are required safety equipment and won't start working until they have a pair on.
We go through a ton of them throughout the day.
I figure if it makes them comfortable then it is not too big a price to pay.

Wild West · Sep 14, 2017

I wear them on occasion.

Mud · Sep 14, 2017

mister honey said:
BTW, does anyone else wish the HF XL nitrile gloves were offered in 2XL?

The XL must be sized for Chinese (smaller than mine) hands!

Mike

Or 3XL for me. I use the cheap vinyl gloves just because I can get them on properly without feeling like a lobster with bands on my claws.

But, when cleaning out a sump or something nasty, I go up and get some Platex kitchen gloves. They go halfway up your arm, and they're thick enough that splinters don't penetrate them.

Again, a great glove, wish I could get them on my hands, I'd use them a lot if I could.

AARONT · Sep 14, 2017

I wear them any time I'm doing any work that involves cutting fluids. I developed an alergic reaction to the preservatives used in coolants and oils, so now my hands break out when I get around the coolant. I even break out slightly when handling parts that have a coolant residue. I will wash them like I'm washing my hands and get a couple days out of them before they tear, then I'll get a new pair.

Most guys don't use them in the shop unless it's a filthy job, but the struggle in keeping things clean is no more with gloves than it is without.

Sea Farmer · Sep 14, 2017

I wear the thin nitrile gloves when I'm handling nasty chemicals and need some dexterity. Use once then toss away.

When I don't need dexterity, just some protection, I wear the Atlas 660 vinyl gloves, they are durable enough to reuse quite a few times.

The difference in chemical resistance between nitrile and vinyl is not a factor for me, but might be for those handling certain substances.

ATLAS 66 Vinylove Vinyl Work Gloves LARGE L 12 Pair - - Amazon.com

SND · Sep 14, 2017

Only to wash some real dirty things and solvents. Not anywhere near things that spin.
I hate getting wet sweaty hands in gloves.

Jersey John · Sep 14, 2017

Always got a box on the go but sadly sometimes get side tracked and it's usually when theres a half dirty job to do I forget to wear them :angry:

Tried a number of makes but now use TufNstuff 92-600's from MSC/J&L ... and usually they last me two or three sessions before splitting.

John :typing:

Pathogen · Sep 14, 2017

Skin is permeable to many chemicals used in the shop. Having it go straight into the blood stream is not my idea of a good day at work. We use 5 mil nitrile disposable on sale at $5-6 a box of 100 and keep a steady stock of at least 6 boxes. Use once and throw away. A friend is going to die of incurable cancer. He has a port and is pretty much destroyed. He was a strong man that never worried about stupid chemicals or getting his hands dirty.

Dylad · Sep 14, 2017

To solve the problem of never knowing you're running low until you're out....When you order 10 boxes, take the last one and put it in your desk. Then, when the shop floor runs out, they come in to reorder and you hand them the last box. I get upset when no one comes up front to notify me about stuff like that, but realistically I've done the same thing when I just need to grab gloves and get a job done and don't have 10 minutes to deal with an unscheduled reorder.

Newman109 · Sep 14, 2017

mister honey said:
I keep the 9mil Harbor Freight nitrile gloves on-hand for solvents, paint, varnish, bondo and cleaning related tasks.

BTW, does anyone else wish the HF XL nitrile gloves were offered in 2XL?

The XL must be sized for Chinese (smaller than mine) hands!

Mike

Yes, I was trying to put on a pair of the HF XL gloves this very morning. It was all that I could do to get them on. They are sized for some other hominid group.

Walmart has some that are white vinyl. They are called "loose fit" and "FA fits all". They are much easier to put on since they are powdered. I have some but I'm trying to use up all of the HF ones before I get to the vinyl ones.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Firm-Grip-Vinyl-Glove-50-Count/37622179

Bill in PA · Sep 14, 2017

I wear them more in the winter than when it is warmer. When my hands are cold, I lose some dexterity. The gloves help with that. Once the shop warms up, it usually don't need them.

Mostly used when my hands would be wet much of the time like with real short cycle times or when cylindrical grinding.

I reuse the gloves until they get a hole. I usually have two or three "active" pairs at a time. I rotate them so they have time to dry between uses.

If I am sweating a bunch, I will forgo the gloves. I think the gloves can hold a half gallon of sweat.

I use them when cleaning the machines, especially the mill tables between setups and vice changes. They do help keep out the tiny slivers. I use heavy gloves to clean the chip pans.

Of course since I work alone, any items I purchase are well used before discarding. I don't waste anything. Disposable items are easy to through out when they are bought with someone else's money.

Bill

Milland · Sep 14, 2017

Bill in PA said:
I reuse the gloves until they get a hole. I usually have two or three "active" pairs at a time. I rotate them so they have time to dry between uses.

Bill

I do exactly the same thing - we must both be cheap bastards. Or as I like to put it, we're saving the environment from massive trash dumps.

Anyones shop use Nitril gloves as standard practise?

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