What should be done after peeling off the first glove?

After peeling off the first glove, the recommended action is to insert a bare finger between the second glove and your skin. This technique is an effective way to safely remove the second glove without contaminating your hands. By doing this, you can avoid touching the outside surface of the second glove, which may be contaminated, thereby reducing the risk of exposure to any hazardous substances or pathogens that could be present.

This method is particularly important in laboratory settings where maintaining a clean and safe environment is crucial. It allows for safe disposal of gloves and minimizes the risk of transferring contaminants from the gloves to your skin. The subsequent removal of the second glove can then be done without compromising hand hygiene.

In contrast, immediately discarding the first glove before taking further precautions could expose your hands to contamination if you do not follow sterile glove removal procedures. Washing hands before removing the second glove might prevent contamination during the process but is not practical since it could reintroduce contaminants from your surroundings into a cleaned area. Rubbing alcohol on hands is a useful practice after glove removal but is not a substitute for the proper glove removal technique. Thus, the safest practice is to insert a bare finger to ensure the second glove can be removed without contaminating your hands.