Page 46 - OHS, January/February 2021

PPE: HAND PROTECTION
How to Avoid the Price Explosion in Disposable Gloves
Disposable gloves have become scarce and expensive, making alternatives more important.
BY M.B. SUTHERLAND
We are living in unpredictable times, so you may need new solutions to keep workers safe without disrupting your company’s bottom line. The price explosion in disposable gloves is a recent problem that could use some creative thinking.
Why Have Disposable Glove
Prices Exploded?
The disposable glove market recently experienced what could be called a per- fect storm of issues. Rubber trees are the source of materials that are used in disposable gloves, like latex and nitrile. These trees only grow in hot, tropical climates, so single-use latex and nitrile gloves are exported almost exclusively from the two countries with the majority of the rubber trade—Malaysia and China. The sudden, extreme increase in dispos- able glove demand because of COVID-19 combined with high virus cases in China and Malaysia early in the pandemic ini- tially caused shutdowns, then a slow re- turn to production. As many countries are still struggling with the virus, these materials are less available than ever, caus- ing prices to shoot up as much as 300 percent. In some cases, the prices have
increased a whopping 1,200 percent. If buyers don’t increase their bids and pay the higher prices, materials for dispos- able PPE go to higher bidders. There have even been reports of cash buyers jumping ahead of the line to buy large amounts of stock so they can resell it at inflated prices. While the answer in normal times is to simply jump to another supplier who can offer a better price, in this case, all dispos- able glove suppliers are in the same situa- tion. Prices are in a constant state of flux as buyers are forced to pay market price when their products are shipped rather than upon order. So, if the price is higher at shipment than it was when they origi- nally placed the order, the buyers have to absorb the additional cost. Unfortu- nately, this situation is expected to persist through 2021.
Disposable Gloves that
Won’t Break Your Budget
Fortunately, you do have options! To be- gin, review the disposable gloves and other items you’re used to buying. Many compa- nies switched to using nitrile gloves when latex allergies became common. However, nitrile glove prices have been more volatile recently because of raw material shortages.
This is the area in which we have seen price increases of 1,000 percent or even higher. A solution to this issue is to review your nitrile glove applications to see if you can substitute another type of glove without impacting your safety or your processes.
■ Vinyl. Vinyl glove prices haven’t increased significantly, but demand for vinyl has grown enormously, and many customers are having a hard time finding a reliable supply.
■ Latex. Latex glove prices are holding steady, but it’s not as easy to find different varieties. It takes time and effort to switch machines and materials to make many sizes and types of gloves, so most manufac- turers have reduced their latex glove SKU’s. The focus is on greatly increasing produc- tion numbers of a few sizes that fit most.
■ Powdered. Here too, all types of powdered gloves have become hard to find as suppliers work to simplify production. If applications in your facility need powdered gloves, you may consider buying non-pow- dered gloves and stocking glove dust for your workers to add if they can do so safely.
■ Material Blends. It is possible to find gloves that perform the same as a full nitrile product by exploring gloves with a blended construction of nitrile and polyvi- nyl chloride (PVC). These gloves are harder to find, but have the added benefit of being less expensive than full nitrile gloves.
Disposable Glove Alternatives
While this won’t work for every applica- tion or work environment, you may be able to save on costs by considering a switch away from disposable gloves com- pletely. New technologies and materials have provided thinner, more dexterous glove shells that are knit with advanced yarns. Recent years have also brought us improvements in glove coatings, some of which resist liquids, oils and keep hands dry and comfortable. The right combina- tion of attributes can be a legitimate alter- native to single-use disposable gloves for barrier protection. And while it’s true that multiple-use gloves are more expensive per pair than disposable ones, you may
42 Occupational Health & Safety | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021
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