Can you use nitrile gloves if you are allergic to latex? And can you react to a non-latex glove?
Yes: nitrile is a synthetic rubber with no natural rubber latex protein in it, and MCR Safety lists its nitrile gloves as latex-free in its disposable glove guide. The proteins that cause latex allergy (the immediate, type I reaction NIOSH describes) are in natural rubber latex only. A person can still react to a non-latex glove in a different way: NIOSH’s alert names allergic contact dermatitis, a delayed skin reaction to the chemicals added during glove manufacturing (accelerators such as thiurams and carbamates), and irritant contact dermatitis from sweat, friction and glove powder, and both can happen with nitrile or vinyl. OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens rule requires that hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners, powderless gloves or similar alternatives be readily accessible to employees who are allergic to the gloves normally provided (1910.1030(d)(3)(iii)).
MCR Safety NitriShield 6012 Disposable Nitrile Gloves, 6 mil, Medical GradeMedical-grade nitrile, latex-free, AQL 1.5 as MCR Safety grades it (MCR Safety data)Why the three reactions get mixed up. NIOSH separates them. Irritant contact dermatitis is not an allergy: dry, itchy, irritated skin from repeated washing, sweat under the glove and glove powder. Allergic contact dermatitis (chemical sensitivity) is a delayed reaction, hours to days later, to the chemicals used in processing the rubber, and it can occur with synthetic gloves too. Latex allergy is the immediate reaction to the natural rubber proteins, from skin redness and hives to rhinitis, asthma and, rarely, shock, and it is the one a nitrile or vinyl glove removes. Someone who still reacts after switching has, in most cases, one of the first two, and the glove’s processing chemicals or the powder are the next thing to change.
The three reactions NIOSH describes
From the NIOSH alert, with what each one means for the glove choice.
What MCR Safety publishes on its disposable gloves
- Latex-free: MCR Safety lists its nitrile gloves as latex-free and “an excellent choice for individuals with latex allergies”; its latex styles carry the note that natural rubber latex may cause allergic reactions in some individuals.
- Powder-free: MCR Safety lists its NitriShield nitrile and most SensaTouch vinyl styles as powder-free; the 5025 vinyl is the powdered style.
- Medical grade vs industrial grade: AQL 0.0 to 1.5 for medical grade (FDA-regulated, from the water-leak test), 1.6 to 4.0 for industrial grade; MCR Safety’s medical-grade styles are 1.5 AQL against some industrial styles at 4.0.
- Thickness and length: 3 to 11 mil, 9 to 12 inches, as stated on each product page.
- Accelerator chemicals: MCR Safety’s guide does not list accelerators by style; a worker with a confirmed type IV sensitivity needs the manufacturer’s statement for the specific style.
What Radians states on its nitrile and latex exam gloves
Radians’ disposable examination gloves on this site (the RWG9413 to RWG9418 nitrile styles from 3 to 8 mil and the RWG9114 and RWG9115 latex styles) list on each product page: single use, powder free and ambidextrous; ASTM D6319 for nitrile examination gloves or ASTM D3578 for latex; ASTM D6978 testing for use with chemotherapy drugs, fentanyl citrate, xylazine HCl and gastric acid; the FFDCA food handling rule, 21 CFR Parts 170 to 199; a textured grip and touchscreen use. Radians states the nitrile styles are made “to eliminate risks associated with natural rubber latex allergies”; the latex styles carry no such line. Its industrial-grade nitrile (RWG9405, RWG9406, RWG9606, RWG9608) and latex (RWG9104, RWG9105) list the 21 CFR food handling rule without the ASTM examination standard. The Thickness line on each page is the mil figure Radians lists.
The Radians RWG94 and RWG91 product pages on radians.com.Radians disposable glove styles on this site, as the product pages list them
| Style | Material | Thickness | Standards Radians lists |
|---|---|---|---|
| RWG9413 | Nitrile, exam grade | 3 mil | ASTM D6319; ASTM D6978; 21 CFR 170–199 |
| RWG9414 | Nitrile, exam grade | 4 mil | ASTM D6319; ASTM D6978; 21 CFR 170–199 |
| RWG9415 | Nitrile, exam grade | 5 mil | ASTM D6319; ASTM D6978; 21 CFR 170–199 |
| RWG9426 | Nitrile, exam grade | 6 mil | ASTM D6319; ASTM D6978; 21 CFR 170–199 |
| RWG9417 | Nitrile, exam grade | 7 mil | ASTM D6319; ASTM D6978; 21 CFR 170–199 |
| RWG9418 | Nitrile, exam grade | 8 mil | ASTM D6319; ASTM D6978; 21 CFR 170–199 |
| RWG9114 | Latex, exam grade | 14 mil | ASTM D3578; ASTM D6978; 21 CFR 170–199 |
Source: The Radians RWG94 and RWG91 product pages on radians.com; the Standards and Thickness lines on each product page on this site.
More questions people ask
What kind of gloves are suitable for people allergic to nitrile?
A reaction to a nitrile glove is not a latex allergy; NIOSH’s alert puts it under allergic contact dermatitis, the delayed reaction to the accelerators (thiurams, carbamates and related chemicals) used to cure synthetic rubbers, or under irritant dermatitis from sweat, friction and powder. The gloves that take the accelerators out of the question are the ones made without them (manufacturers mark them accelerator-free; MCR Safety’s guide does not list accelerators by style, so the statement has to come from the manufacturer for the specific style) and the gloves of a different polymer: vinyl (PVC), polyethylene and polyurethane carry no rubber accelerators. A thin cotton or nylon liner under the glove is the other answer NIOSH and OSHA give, and 1910.1030(d)(3)(iii) names glove liners among the alternatives an employer must make available.
Can I still be allergic to latex-free gloves?
Not to latex, because there is none in them. A person can still react to a latex-free glove in the two other ways NIOSH describes: allergic contact dermatitis to the processing chemicals (a rash 24 to 48 hours after contact, possible with nitrile, neoprene and vinyl) and irritant contact dermatitis from sweat, friction and powder. “Latex-free” is a statement about the polymer, not a promise that the glove cannot irritate skin.
How do I get rid of a glove rash, and what does a latex allergy look like?
NIOSH describes the three pictures. Irritant dermatitis: dry, itchy, irritated and cracked skin where the glove sits, from washing, sweat under the glove and powder; it clears when the cause is removed (powder-free gloves, a liner, drying the hands before gloving, skin care). Allergic contact dermatitis: a red, itchy, sometimes blistering rash that appears 24 to 48 hours after wearing the glove and can spread beyond the glove line; it needs a glove without the chemical that caused it, which a patch test identifies. Latex allergy: an immediate reaction, within minutes, of redness, hives and itching at the contact, sometimes with a runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes or asthma, and rarely shock; it needs a glove with no natural rubber latex and medical advice. A rash that persists is a reason to see a clinician, who can tell the three apart.
Who is at highest risk for a latex allergy?
NIOSH’s alert names workers who use latex gloves frequently (health care workers above all), people who have had multiple surgeries or medical procedures, and people with other allergies, and notes that allergy to certain foods (bananas, avocados, chestnuts, kiwi) is associated with latex allergy because the proteins are related. Repeated exposure is the common thread, which is why the alert’s first advice to employers is to provide non-latex gloves where there is little contact with infectious materials.
Answers from the sources named above and in the byline.Questions people ask
Can I use nitrile gloves if I have a latex allergy?
Yes. Nitrile is synthetic and contains no natural rubber latex protein; MCR Safety lists its nitrile gloves as latex-free.
Can I be allergic to non-latex gloves?
A delayed skin reaction (allergic contact dermatitis) to the manufacturing chemicals is possible with nitrile or vinyl, and irritant dermatitis from sweat, friction and powder is common. Neither is a latex allergy; NIOSH describes all three.
What gloves do I use if I am allergic to latex?
A glove with no natural rubber latex: nitrile, vinyl, neoprene or polyethylene. OSHA requires the employer to make such alternatives readily accessible where bloodborne pathogen gloves are provided (1910.1030(d)(3)(iii)).
Are powder-free gloves hypoallergenic?
Powder-free removes the powder that carries latex protein into the air and irritates skin; it does not change what the glove is made of. A powder-free latex glove is still latex.
Are nitrile gloves safe for people with latex allergies?
For latex allergy, nitrile removes the cause. MCR Safety lists nitrile as more puncture-resistant and latex as more elastic; the hazard, not the allergy alone, decides the glove under 1910.138.
What are some alternatives to nitrile gloves for people with latex allergies?
Vinyl (PVC), neoprene, polyethylene and polyisoprene gloves, none of which contains natural rubber latex protein; MCR Safety lists its SensaTouch vinyl styles as latex-free beside its NitriShield nitrile. A worker with a confirmed type IV sensitivity to accelerators needs the manufacturer’s statement on accelerator-free nitrile or a vinyl or polyethylene glove instead.
Why are latex gloves not used anymore in many workplaces?
The allergy NIOSH Alert 97-135 describes, the FDA’s 2017 ban on powdered examination and surgeon’s gloves (powder carries latex protein into the air), and the Food Code annex and state rules on latex in food service. OSHA 1910.1030(d)(3)(iii) requires latex-free alternatives for allergic employees. Latex is still sold for dry work where feel matters, with MCR Safety’s allergy statement on each latex style.
Which gloves do not have powder, and why are powdered gloves not used anymore?
The FDA banned powdered patient examination and surgeon’s gloves in a final rule effective January 18 2017 because the powder carries latex protein and causes airway and wound irritation; powdered industrial gloves followed. MCR Safety lists its NitriShield nitrile and most SensaTouch vinyl styles as powder-free and names the one powdered vinyl style, so the box and the product page say which.
Can I be allergic to vinyl gloves, and are they hypoallergenic?
Vinyl contains no natural rubber latex protein, so it does not cause latex allergy; irritant contact dermatitis from sweat and friction and, rarely, a delayed reaction to plasticizers can still occur, which is why NIOSH distinguishes the three reactions above. “Hypoallergenic” is a marketing word, not a test; latex-free and powder-free are the statements the manufacturer makes.
How do I get rid of glove rash?
Find which of NIOSH’s three reactions it is: irritant dermatitis clears with powder-free gloves, a liner, dry hands and skin care; allergic contact dermatitis needs a glove without the chemical that caused it; latex allergy needs a latex-free glove and medical advice. A persistent rash is a reason to see a clinician.
What does it look like to be allergic to latex gloves?
NIOSH: redness, hives and itching at the contact within minutes, sometimes with runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes or asthma, and rarely shock. A rash that shows up a day or two later is the delayed contact dermatitis, not the latex allergy.
How do I know if gloves are latex free?
The label and the product page say the material; FDA requires a medical glove’s package to identify its materials, and nitrile, vinyl, neoprene and polyurethane gloves are latex-free by composition. Radians states its nitrile gloves are made to eliminate the risks associated with natural rubber latex allergies.
Why do my hands tickle, itch or sweat in gloves?
Sweat and friction under an occlusive glove are the irritant dermatitis NIOSH describes; a wicking liner, powder-free gloves, dry hands before gloving and breaks to air the hands are the usual answers. The glove liners guide covers liners.
What are aloe gloves?
Disposable gloves with an aloe coating on the inside, sold as a skin conditioner for frequent glove changes; the coating does not change the polymer or the latex content, and no manufacturer on this site lists one.
The ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.