The new product, for which Safeaid has UK exclusivity, is launched under its Signal brand and is registered according to the PPE Directive and certified as having passed EN ISO 374-5 VIRUS Standard
PPE manufacturer, Safeaid, announced the arrival of its brand of virus-protection certified nitrile gloves, in response to demand for compliant, virus safe hand protection for frontline healthcare professionals throughout the UK.
The Hampshire-based company decided to manufacture a nitrile glove product following its discovery that many gloves currently in use in healthcare environments are not classified as PPE – where the objective is to protect the wearer. Instead, they have been registered according to the Medical Devices Directive (MDD), where the object is care of the patient, and gloves classified as medical device only, are not certified for Personal Protection.
“There are several safety Standards for nitrile gloves and each Standard will test different performance requirements” explains Barry Taylor, Safeaid Operations Director. “In situations where there is a requirement for personal protection, you might expect that gloves registered according to the PPE directive would be used. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as those responsible for sourcing gloves may not know the difference between PPE and MDD.”
He continues, “Many nitrile gloves won’t have Virus Protection, because it isn’t necessary for every job role, however since the pandemic, it has increasingly become a necessity, and certainly within healthcare settings. As nitrile gloves all look alike, the wearer can’t know whether the gloves they put on have virus protection or not, so it’s essential to ensure the correct products are supplied in the first instance.”
The new product, for which Safeaid has UK exclusivity, is launched under its Signal brand and is registered according to the PPE Directive and certified as having passed EN ISO 374-5 VIRUS Standard. This standard measures the ability of gloves to protect users against bacteria, fungi, viruses and harmful pathogens, including coronavirus, MRSA and SARS, and only gloves meeting this specific Standard will provide this level of protection.
Safeaid has taken the additional measure of having the product registered according to the MDD as well, meeting Standard EN 455. “We did this purely because EN 455 appears to be the product of choice for many healthcare procurement teams, even though this classification relates to Class I, representing the lowest level of risk.” explains Taylor, “Whilst buyers are conscious of the need for the appropriate level of protection, they often specify non-PPE products, such is the level of confusion around glove Standards.”
Richard Bowen, Managing Director, Safeaid commented, “We believe part of our role is to inform and educate, particularly when it comes to product safety and compliance, something we take extremely seriously. We’ve been a trusted PPE provider for over 40 years and our customers rely on us, not only to deliver the products they need without fail but to ensure they are 100 per cent fit for purpose.”
The issues around glove Standards led Safeaid to mount an awareness campaign for its customers, to help them better understand the key differences. “Our research for the campaign highlighted the scarcity of gloves with the appropriate virus protection” explained Richard, “and this became the driving force behind our investment in the production of this critical item. Manufacturing our product has also allowed us to address other issues with nitrile gloves and how they are dispensed.”
The Signal nitrile glove has a longer cuff for additional safeguarding, is beaded to prevent roll down and its low-modulus formulation offers superior comfort and fits as well as excellent tactile sensitivity. The box design is flatter and wider than other brands on the market which allows gloves to be packed flat and not bundled together as is the case with the alternatives. This makes for easier and more efficient dispensing.
The Signal brand is synonymous with high quality, innovation and ethical manufacturing practices. Taylor concludes, “We are delighted that we can give our customers peace of mind in knowing that their people are properly protected, together with absolute certainty around supply and product consistency, two of the other issues currently faced by those in procurement.”
