Most safety professionals are well aware of the issue of allergic reactions to latex that has surfaced over the past two decades. The problem has been studied and well documented, and we know a lot more now than we did ten years ago about the cause of latex protein allergy.
As awareness of this problematic issue has grown, so, too, has the use of non-latex alternatives in the manufacture of gloves. Synthetic polymers such as vinyl and nitrile have emerged as the most common alternative materials for new gloves because they do not contain any natural rubber latex and, therefore, can be used by workers with latex allergy. Vinyl gloves are inexpensive but lack the feeling of latex gloves, and studies have shown repeatedly that their protection against chemicals, abrasion and other physical hazards is limited.