Every medical facility uses disposable gloves. They are probably the most important PPE for your employees and staff. They are certainly the most often used, and they have the most uses for all manner of workers. Disposable gloves come in several colors, and while this may seem like an unnecessary fashion statement, the color of your gloves could protect your employees, prevent accidents, and even save a patient’s life.
Color Coding
Using black and blue disposable gloves can protect your employees and staff. Most disposable gloves are made of latex, and while this durable material is a good choice for most users, some individuals are allergic to it. For this reason, most medical facilities order more than one type of glove. The bulk of gloves may be latex, but at least a few boxes must contain options for employees who discover an allergy. By color coding latex and non-latex gloves, you make it easy for employees to choose the right gloves without being forced to stop and read the box every time they need a new pair. Color coding also works for other purposes. Powdered gloves may be one color, and non-powered another. You can also color code gloves by use.
Identifying Dangerous Substances
Although disposable gloves are most commonly used as examination gloves, they are standard PPE for many other tasks, as well. These include cleaning, lab work, and even examining mail. Unlike white gloves, black and blue gloves clearly show white powders. Not all harmful substances are white, but many labs use such powders. What’s more, even if a white powder is nothing but crushed medicine in a patient’s room, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. The cleaning personnel may be allergic to the medicine, or it may interact badly with medicine they are taking. Since black and blue gloves show these powders right away, they help prevent employees from transferring the powder to objects they will touch later with bare hands, such as cart handles, loose hair, and their own clothing.
Calming Patients
White gloves show dark fluids. They highlight blood and other bodily fluids, and the sight of blood on their doctors’ hands will cause any patient undue stress that could complicate their condition. If a trauma patient goes into shock, the chances of saving them drop dramatically. Keeping patients calm is critical to their wellbeing. Fortunately, blue gloves don’t show blood as much as white gloves, and black gloves barely show blood at all. By using dark colored disposable gloves, particularly in trauma centers, emergency rooms, and ambulances, physicians can do their jobs without alarming their patients. It’s a simple change that could save lives.
The color of your gloves may seem like a simple thing, but its ramifications are far reaching. It isn’t always easy to save lives and protect your employees, but by using black or blue gloves you can make it easier for any employee to do their job. This in turn saves lives. It might not be a big change, but it can have a big impact.