A data base has been developed containing test data on protective effects of safety gloves against chemicals. Permeation data and clinical data as well as experimental data are collected and, after dermatological assessment, are put into different files in the data base. The main purpose of this data base is to give up-to-date and relevant information to those who have to choose and recommend suitable gloves to workers handling or working with hazardous chemicals. The information from the data base is presented to the users in the form of printed documents which can be updated regularly.

Today test results are not always comparable because so many different investigation methods are used. To make it possible to compare test results, still more work must be done to establish internationally accepted standards or reference methods (in vitro and in vivo) and internationally accepted rules for presenting test data. This would make it easier to evaluate the protective effect against chemicals of protective glove materials.