Latex Allergy Support Group

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• Managing Latex Allergy

The best way to prevent work-related latex and chemical allergy is by not using gloves at all. All staff should be aware that they do not need to wear gloves for a lot of tasks.

Aim to reduce your risk of developing Latex Allergy and Chemical Allergy by minimising glove use as much as possible. Think before you put them on, what is the risk, why am I wearing them?

If risk management has identified that there is a real need to use gloves (eg in order to protect yourself against the risk of cross-infection from blood-borne pathogens), choose the correct glove for the task in question.

Remember that latex gloves can be substituted with gloves made of latex-free or synthetic materials, which reduces the risk of sensitisation and allergic reaction to latex.

However your choice of synthetic material will be governed by the task you are about to undertake (e.g. nitrile and neoprene materials are suitable for tasks with the risk of transmission from BB pathogens. Vinyl may be used for low/no risk tasks, e.g. catering).