A Simulation Study to Assess Fluid Leakage Through the Glove-Gown Interface in Isolation Settings

Details

• Personal Author:
  Kahveci Z ; Kilinc-Balci FS ; Yorio, Patrick L.
• Description:
  Background: Isolation gowns are recommended to protect healthcare personnel (HCP), patients, and visitors from transfer of microorganisms and body fluids in patient isolation situations. Standards provide limited information about barrier performance of isolation gowns for possible exposure scenarios. One of the most vulnerable areas of the personal protective equipment (PPE) ensemble is considered the glove-gown interface. However, current classification standards do not consider the interface regions of the PPE system while assessing the level of protection. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the fluid leakage through the glove-gown interface by simulating exposures and HCP arm movements in patient care. Methods: We tested fluid leakage of two examination gloves with different cuff lengths and seven isolation gown models designed with varying levels of barrier resistance and multiple cuff types. Results: Our results demonstrated that leakage through the glove-gown interface depends on multiple factors, including glove cuff length and gown cuff design. Gowns with the thumb loop design provided better protection than the elastic cuff design, and the elastic cuff design provided better protection compared to the knit cuff design for a given AAMI PB70 level. More importantly, a substantial penetration through gown fabrics was observed. Conclusion: This research identifies a need to develop a standardized method to evaluate leakage at the glove-gown interface to improve worker protection. Description provided by NIOSH
• Subjects:
  • Body Fluids
  • Health Personnel
  • Occupational Health
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Protective Clothing
  • Safety
• Keywords:
  • Protective clothing
  • Gloves
  • Leak prevention
  • Personal protective equipment
  • PPE
  • Equipment testing
  • Health care personnel
  • Body fluids
  • Fabrics
  • Author Keywords: Liquid penetration
  More +
• ISSN:
  0196-6553
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  NPPTL - National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  49
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20063454
• Citation:
  Am J Infect Control 2021 Dec; 49(12):1481-1487
• Contact Point Address:
  Zafer Kahveci, PhD, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL), 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15236
• Email:
  kup2@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance ; Public Safety
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Infection Control
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/226518/cdc_226518_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 771.03 KB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:82dcf01f384955c6416bba46acd130c3abcbd58078450bd3da613ad03bacbd6428f00217fa989e4233c36245a1d94bd83e112eb76a7dea190f5d2afd1e3758a0