IRMs are vitally important in product and specification testing, in research and development work, in technical service work, and in quality control operations in the rubber and carbon black industries. They are especially valuable for referee purposes. Many ASTM rubber standards for the evaluation of natural or synthetic rubber require the use of specific IRMs in their test recipes for better laboratory repeatability and reproducibility.

New material lots that have been selected as candidates for IRM approval shall conform to the appropriate specifications given in this standard and meet requirements given in Practice D4678 before the lots may be accepted as IRMs.

The chemical and physical IRM specifications shown will ensure some consistency in IRM properties from one lot to the next. However, the specifications cannot ensure exact inter-lot consistency.

1.1 This specification covers certain requirements for nitrile rubber gloves used in conducting medical examinations and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

1.2 This specification covers nitrile rubber examination gloves that fit either hand, paired gloves, and gloves by size. It also provides for packaged sterile or nonsterile or bulk nonsterile nitrile rubber examination gloves.

1.3 This specification is similar to that of Specification D3578 for rubber examination gloves.

1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.