Latex Gloves

[Rita]

Hi All

When students are collecting germs from who-knows-where to putting them onto agar plates and doing dissections we tend to use disposable gloves.
we had an assortment of vinyl and latex gloves. Teacher says I can't issue latex gloves at school. Is this correct?

Thanks
Rita

[RosalieM]

I think it is an individual school policy thing. We still use latex gloves but some kids can be allergic so maybe you have some allergies in your school and that's why they have said that?

[smiley]

I stock both vinyl and latex, and ask if there are allergies before I hand them out.

Latex gloves are also REALLY good,in fact essential, for doing the "Ghost hand" thing with the vacuum pump. Still makes me laugh and I've been doing it for 2 years now!

[Rita]

Pardon my ignorance Smiley but what is a "ghost hand" please?

Rita

[smiley]

I knew you were going to ask...

Fill a latex glove with coarse sand. Attach a piece of hose to a vacuum pump - we have a groovy electric one from Scientrific. Cover the end of the hose in layers of stocking, so that no sand can get up the hose. Tape or rubber band the end of the glove to the stockinged end of the hose.

Turn on the hose. It will suck the air out of the gaps between the sand grains. (Remembering that in Physics nothing sucks, things only blow) Stretch the fingers of the glove into wierd shapes. Laugh a bit, it's good for your endorphin levels. Switch OFF the vacuum pump. The fingers will resume their original shape, quickly at first, then oozily slowly. Laugh like a demented Kookaburra. Repeat.

[Rowyrow]

Wish I had a Vacuum pump sonuds like the sort of thing that would distract me for hours!

[RosalieM]

Do you have one that goes with your bell jar?

[Rowyrow]

I don't have a bell jar It's on the list of stuff to get when we have the money which means we wont have one for quite some time

[Ocker]

G’Day all, I know there was some discussion on this before and any info on how to handle would be appreciated

One of my teachers grandchildren has extreme latex allergy, and his school is trying to make the campus or at least certain rooms latex friendly.

Any ideas would be appreciated or experience at your school

Thanks Ocker!

[smeee]

I just buy the plastic ones as in the type you get for hair colouring etc.
Pkt of 100 around the $4 mark from Haines.
No kinky suits either ! lol

[Loopy]

Don't forget to consider latex-free bandaids too!

[RosalieM]

I just did some googling cos I was curious to see if they contained latex. Well, it seems some might, but I don't know about ordinary ones that I buy at the supermarket. While I was looking around, though, I found out that the rubber balloon was actually invented by Faraday, as in the physicist! So, how about that? Something I didn't know before... Not sure I NEED to know it, but now I do anyway!

[Ocker]

The school he is going to is programing his class's into rooms without carpet as most carpets are stuck down with latex glue and yes balloons

[Krysia Lee]

Hi Ocker
I buy the nitrile gloves they're powder free and latex free. The kids that are allergic to latex here have all been fine with them. They're expensive though at $20.50 a box. They are more chemically resistant than vinyl or rubber.
Krysia

[Ocker]

The boy is accually starting high school in Canberra in Feb
But it doesn't hurt to be prepared in case we get one too
Than it's not a panic you have an idea where to start!