Glovebox glove dexterity comparison

Abstract

Programmatic operations at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility (TA-55) involve working with various amounts of plutonium and other highly toxic, alpha-emitting materials. The spread of radiological contamination on surfaces, airborne contamination, and excursions of contaminants into the operator's breathing zone are prevented through the use of a variety of gloveboxes (the glovebox, coupled with an adequate negative pressure gradient, provides primary confinement). The glovebox gloves are the weakest part of this engineering control and also result in decreased dexterity. The two main types of glovebox gloves used at TA-55 are made from chlorosulphonated polyethylene (CSM) and CSM with an inner lead oxide layer. In an effort to strengthen glovebox gloves, Polyurethane has been added to the formulations. Experiments have been conducted on three models of Polyurethane/CSM glovebox gloves (13-mil, 20-mil, 22-mil) as well as Polyurethane-Nonhaz Shielding-CSM, 4X attenuation glovebox gloves. The Polyurethane-Nonhaz Shielding-CSM, 4X attenuation glovebox gloves are a non-hazardous substitute for the CSM with an inner lead oxide layer glovebox gloves. The Polyurethane formulations are compared to the gloves currently used at TA-55 with respect to dexterity and its effect on the outcome of any task performance. The objective of this research is to study the effect of the gloves currently used at TA-55 vs. Polyurethane formulations on task performance. In conclusion, replacement of gloves currently in use at TA-55 with Polyurethane formulations improves the safety configuration of the glovebox system by reducing the glovebox workers risks of ergonomic injuries and internally deposited radionuclides and eliminating mixed waste generation. Process improvements of this type contribute to an organization's scientific and technological excellence by increasing its operational safety.