If you tell enough stories, perhaps the moral will show up.

2010-07-15

Latex as a Security Tool

I hope I don't disappoint you here.

After a couple of dirty (ooer) jobs over the weekend I felt moved to write about the benefit I've been getting from my big box of disposable gloves.

Five pounds gets a hundred latex gloves -- male sizes -- at Screwfix and at 5p each you can use them for almost anything (and as they really don't keep for long you do need to use them up.) Just over the last few days, I've protected my hands against grease, drain overflows and -- ahem -- biologically active matter. Barrier creams can work and are more comfortable, but the gloves give you a better grip for tools, you can wear gauntlets over them and they come off when you're finished.

And, Security? Well yes. A couple of years ago I spent a week in hospital with an infected finger joint that wasn't playing nicely with the antibiotics. It was pretty scary -- an unmanaged replicator would be a very 21st century way to die, and I never found out where it came from. The best guess was some tiny wound on the finger went septic and my hands do get a lot of abuse. Since then, out of fear, I've been trying to keep them clean and intact as far as possible. All hail cheap latex gloves.

Was that a disappointment? Well I'm sorry, and I will go so far to say you look pretty good in your black PVC LBD. But get yourself some gloves as well, for safety's sake.