What should personnel use when unpacking hazardous medications to ensure safety?

Using double chemotherapy gloves when unpacking hazardous medications is essential for ensuring safety. These gloves provide an extra layer of protection against potential chemical exposure, which can be harmful to healthcare personnel. Hazardous medications can include chemotherapeutic agents, which are known for their toxicity and risk of causing adverse health effects upon skin contact or inhalation.

Double gloving minimizes the risk of a single glove becoming compromised, which could lead to skin exposure. The additional layer is particularly important in situations where punctures or tears can occur during handling. While single chemotherapy gloves offer a certain level of protection, they do not provide the same safety assurance as double gloves, especially in high-risk environments.

In contrast, normal everyday gloves and fabric gloves do not meet the protective requirements when dealing with hazardous materials, as they lack adequate barrier properties and do not provide the necessary chemical resistance required for handling such medications safely. This distinction highlights the importance of using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) tailored for specific risks in the handling of hazardous medications.