Wie de handschoen past... Handschoenen getest voor het hanteren van collecties

In response to a large scale moving of art collections from the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam various types of gloves were tested to gain insight into potentially damaging components of these materials, and to see whether they leave any marks on the objects after handling. Research showed that the unprotected skin cause most damage to objects and cotton gloves the least. Other types of gloves showed results between these extremes. Gloves with a special anti-slip coating or with raised dots leave prints on smooth, corrosion sensisitive surfaces from softeners, salts and accelerators to reactive sulfur, which leave reaction products on metal. Nitril surgical gloves leave the least residue and the safest in the test of all non-cotton gloves for touching art objects. In choosing a type of glove a various factors should be considered. For example dropping an object due to poor grip can cause more damage than leaving marks or fingerprints. Gloves are recommended to protect the objects from the human skin, but also to protect the human skin from cumulative exposure to harmful substances like pesticide. Wearing dirty gloves is dangerous for the person and the object alike.