OSHA Guidelines 2017 Product information is available on packaging or in printed materials, such as safety data sheets, delivered with the product. Product labels At minimum, professional-use nail salon products must provide the following information: ● The name and address of the product manufacturer or distributor. ● An identity statement explaining the type and use of the product through use of name, descriptor or illustration. ● Facts about the product, such as directions for safe use. ● All necessary warnings and caution statements. Safety data sheets (SDS) OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard requires product manufacturers to provide salon owners with a safety data sheet (SDS) for each product that may contain a hazardous chemical at 1 percent or more (0.1 percent or more for chemicals that may cause cancer) or that could be released into the air above limits set by OSHA or the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). The SDS explains the product’s health risks and lists precautions for worker protection. In general, the SDS must provide information about: ● Hazardous ingredients in the product. ● How users can be exposed to the ingredients. ● Health and safety risks when using the product. ● Precautions for safely using and storing the product, including what to do in emergencies. OSHA recently published an update to its Hazard Communications Standard, changing the classification of chemicals, labeling and SDS requirements so that they align with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Refer to OSHA’s Hazard Communication page for more information about these changes and when they will go into effect. SDSs generally contain the same information as GHSs, but all information will be presented in a standard format. Employers should read each SDS and make sure they understand them. They must also make the SDSs available to their employees, such as nail technicians, in a location near the product so they can conveniently access the information. Employers are also required to provide employees with information and training about the chemical’s potential hazards and how to safely use the product. Steps to prevent exposures and protect worker health (OSHA, 2017) In a California Department of Toxic Substances Control study, a limited number of nail salon products claiming to be free of one or more of the toxic trio tested positive for the chemicals in question. Employers and workers can take steps to protect their health when working with products that contain potentially hazardous chemicals. Choose safer products and read about the products being used (OSHA, 2017) ● Whenever possible, use products with the least hazardous chemicals in them. ○ 3-free: Some products now claim to be made without the “toxic trio” (toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate). These products are called “3-free” products. ○ Acid free: Some primers claim to be made without chemicals like methacrylic acid. These are labeled “acid free.”
● For any product used in your salon, be aware of possible health effects and how to prevent overexposure. ● Always read product labels and SDSs and follow manufacturers’ instructions when using all nail salon products, including those labeled “free” of hazardous chemicals. SDSs may not contain all the information needed to provide adequate protection. For example, the manufacturer may state “wear impervious gloves” without specifying the type of glove material needed. Ventilate the room to remove airborne chemicals (OSHA, 2017) Ventilation is the best way to lower the level of chemicals in a salon. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) laboratory tests indicate that exhaust ventilation systems may reduce worker chemical exposure in nail salons by at least 50 percent. These steps help improve worker health: ● When possible, let in fresh air by opening doors and windows. If the salon has a ceiling vent, turn it on. ● Always keep the salon’s exhaust system on. ● If your salon does not have an exhaust system, always keep the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system on during work hours. The HVAC thermostat fan switch should always be in the “on” position (not “auto”) so that it runs even when the heat or air conditioner is off. The salon owner should have an HVAC contractor clean the HVAC system and replace the filters at least once a year. ● Install exhaust fans wherever possible. Place fans near open doors and windows. Fans should pull air into one end of the salon and push it out of the other end. ● If the salon has ventilated tables, make sure they are turned on. Also, change the charcoal filters at least once a month and clean out the catch basin at least once a week. ● Consider using portable ventilation machines to remove dust and chemicals directly from the work area. Use safe work practices to avoid regular and accidental exposures: ● Label chemicals moved from large bottles to smaller bottles with the information from the manufacturer’s label. ● Close bottles tightly when they are not in use so the product does not spill or contaminate the air. ● Use metal trash cans with tight, self-closing lids to keep the nail products soaked on cotton balls and other trash from evaporating and contaminating the salon’s air. ● Put cotton balls and other soaked material into the trash cans immediately. ● If you do not have metal trash cans with self-closing lids, put cotton balls and soaked material in a sealed bag before putting them in the trash can and keep the trash covered. ● Empty trash cans often and remove them from the work area to the outside garbage at the end of each day. ● Use only the amount of product you need to perform services. When possible, do not keep extra product at workstations. ● Follow instructions for safely disposing of used chemicals. DO NOT pour them down the sink or toilet, down outside drains or onto cotton balls, and do not throw them on the ground. ● Some chemicals have specific disposal requirements. For example, used liquid acetone must be saved in a fire department-approved metal container and disposed of as hazardous waste.
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Book Code: NTNC0826
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