National

Hospital glove bungle sparks chemical exposure fears

By Eleanor Wilson

Oct 2, 2026

Medical gloves (file image) — There are fears gloves used at a major hospital may not have provided adequate protection for staff. -AAP Image

An investigation has been launched into medical gloves supplied at a leading children's hospital amid fears staff may have been exposed to toxic chemicals.

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The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne has removed a type of sterile glove from its supply after WorkSafe Victoria notified leadership in late August that the gloves may not have provided adequate protection to staff handling cytotoxic agents such as chemotherapy.

The gloves, which are not rated for chemotherapy, were used for patients with latex allergies in a range of clinical applications, the Victorian Department of Health says.

The product had since been replaced with others which meet the international standards for handling cytotoxic agents, the hospital said in a statement.

Independent investigators will determine whether staff, including nurses and doctors, were exposed to chemotherapy and other toxic chemicals while providing care.

"We understand the concern and uncertainty this has caused, and we are committed to being open with affected staff about what we know and what we are doing to find answers," A Royal Children's Hospital spokesperson said.

"We will share further information with staff as it becomes available and continue to support them."

A request for the timeline the gloves had been in circulation was not detailed in the hospital's broader response to AAP, but an internal email to staff about the incident acknowledged concerns had been raised many years ago, the ABC reports.

The hospital maintained it had been "open and transparent" with staff regarding the potential risks of sterile gloves.

HealthShare Victoria, which is responsible for sourcing and delivering medical supplies throughout the public health sector, was working to determine whether the product had been used in chemotherapy at other hospitals, the Department of Health said.

WorkSafe Victoria said it was making inquiries to ensure health and safety risks were being "adequately addressed" and to determine whether further action was required.

Global studies have found health care workers who are occupationally exposed to chemotherapy agents can have an increased risk of infertility, miscarriage, chromosomal abnormalities and a higher risk of developing some cancers.