Many clinicians in radiology are familiar with personal protective equipment (PPE), such as lead aprons and thyroid collars, to shield crucial parts of the body against radiation. However, the torso, upper legs, and neck aren’t the only body parts healthcare workers should be concerned about protecting.
The hands can also become exposed to radiation during diagnostic or interventional procedures, such as those using C-arms or fluoroscopy. What options are available for hand shielding? One of the most common protective garments you’ll see used for the hands is lead radiation protection gloves.
When should you wear lead gloves? Keep reading as we review relevant research and information from governing bodies to help you make educated decisions.
Do Gloves Protect You From Radiation?
Wearing lead gloves in radiology can help shield a clinician’s hands against radiation. A study in the Journal of Medicine in Baltimore showed that lead gloves reduced radiation doses to the hands by up to 86%.
While some radiation did still make it through during clinical trials, it’s still a significant reduction in radiation exposure to the hands to help healthcare workers remain under OSHA’s established dose limits.
OSHA sets a radiation dose limit of 18.75 rem to the hands and forearms per quarter. Remaining under that is crucial to prevent health effects such as cancer, skin damage, or muscle damage that can occur with continuous exposure. Therefore, clinicians regularly exposed to radiation should use hand shielding when possible to minimize health risks.
When Must Protective Gloves Be Worn?
While lead gloves can reduce radiation doses significantly, it’s still common for healthcare professionals to wonder when to wear lead gloves and when it’s safe (or necessary) to go without.
Lead gloves were created to help healthcare workers shield their hands from radiation whenever they’re in close proximity to a radiation source, but the safety requirements can differ by procedure. OSHA’s radiation safety guidelines state that clinicians should wear lead gloves while using some X-ray equipment if their hands will be near or in the direct line of the X-ray beam.
However, OSHA notes that wearing lead gloves while using modern fluoroscopy equipment that automatically adjusts exposure levels could be harmful. When procedures use equipment that automatically adjusts intensity based on factors like the patient’s weight, placing dense PPE like lead gloves in front of the X-ray beam would significantly increase exposure to the whole room.
Therefore, radiation safety glove requirements will differ on a procedure-by-procedure basis. It’s important for facilities to work with their radiation safety officer (RSO) to assess individual procedures and their specific shielding needs.
What’s the Trade-off Between Tactile Sensitivity and Adequate Protection?
The physician’s tactile sensitivity is another important consideration when determining whether it’s appropriate to wear lead gloves.
Research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health stated that while lead gloves offer effective protection, they can also reduce tactile sensitivity in the hands, which can interfere with precise movements required during procedures. That can cause physicians to avoid lead gloves in some cases when they need to ensure accuracy.
However, another study from the Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Technology also showed that modified lead gloves that are thinner and more flexible helped increase tactile sensitivity. Therefore, clinicians will still have options available to stay safe while successfully performing operations.
How To Maintain Radiation-Protection Gloves To Meet Safety Standards
In addition to ensuring healthcare workers wear lead gloves when it’s appropriate, facilities also must keep them in good working condition to maintain safety standards.
One of the main things that can happen with lead gloves and other radiation protection garments is that they will accumulate wear and tear during normal use. A study in Radiography Open found that damage such as cracks, holes, or tears could reduce the effectiveness of protective garments. Therefore, it’s important to identify damage and repair it before it gets out of hand.
We recommend performing annual X-ray scans of lead gloves and other PPE for radiation to identify minor damage early. A study from 2018 stressed the importance of regular X-ray scanning of protective garments, since it’s the most accurate way to identify small pinholes that you can’t always see or feel.
It’s also important to regularly deep clean and disinfect reusable PPE like lead gloves, aprons, and thyroid shields to prevent hospital-acquired infections. AORN’s 2025 guidelines for perioperative practice stressed that PPE, such as lead aprons, thyroid collars, glasses, and gloves, has high contamination rates between 62.5% and 100%, requiring regular deep cleaning to remove harmful microorganisms.
How Our Services at RCS Can Help
At RadCare Services (RCS), our goal is to help healthcare facilities effectively source and maintain protective garments, such as lead gloves, aprons, and thyroid collars. We work with several top manufacturers to help you procure high-quality garments that protect healthcare workers during procedures.
Additionally, we offer several maintenance services to keep garments in top condition and ensure efficient management, including:
- Deep cleaning and disinfection
- Inspections using X-ray scanning
- Garment repairs
- Garment disposal
- Inventory management with our RadComply® software
All of our services follow recommendations from governing bodies, such as the CDC, EPA, and AORN, to ensure safe and effective results.
Contact us today to learn more about how RCS can help.
