The Glovebox Program applies to employees who are required to use a glovebox due to the nature of their work. Gloveboxes are essential devices used in research for manipulation of air and water sensitive chemicals that are not easily worked with on a Schlenk line. Examples include circumstances where:
- A clean, particle-free environment, low-humidity down to 5% is needed;
- Negative pressure is needed to protect the operator against hazardous or infectious agents;
- Positive pressure is needed to protect sample and products against airborne particles;
- Anaerobic processing in dry inert gas environment is needed; or
- a sterile positive pressure environment is needed for the compounding of non-hazardous materials.