New York requires nail salon ventilation to protect workers
Businesses have five years to comply
By Jessica Morrison
All nail salons in New York must meet the new ventilation standard to protect workers by October 2021.
Credit: Shutterstock
New York is requiring nail salons to meet ventilation standards designed to protect workers from hazardous chemicals wafting from polish and other nail products.
Common components of polishes, polish removers, and nail hardeners include acetone, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, benzene, formaldehyde, and methylene chloride, the New York State Department of Health says in a report. Exposure to these substances has been linked to health problems, says the report, which was released in conjunction with new state regulations for nail salon ventilation.
Some potential short-term effects of exposure to these compounds include headaches, nausea, and skin irritation, the report says. Long-term exposure can affect the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.
The health department identified some 30 hazardous chemicals commonly found in nail products. Some of these, including acetone and toluene, were found to be elevated in salons when compared with nonindustrial settings such as homes and offices. In the report, the health department notes that its chemical list is not exhaustive because product formulations change frequently and bottles are often mislabeled.
Starting in October, new nail salons in the state must meet the standard, which requires ventilation that exhausts vapors, fumes, dust, and other air contaminants from nail salon workstations. Existing nail salons will have until October 2021 to meet the standard.
The state regulation follows a 2015 exposé by the New York Times that revealed substandard working conditions for nail salon employees.
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Protecting Nail Salon Workers
Posted on May 13, 2015
by Cheryl Fairfield Estill, MS, PE
Last week, the New York Times published a two-part series highlighting what it characterized as exploitative employment practices and unsafe working conditions for nail salon workers, including exposures to hazardous chemicals. On the heels of the reports, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on May 11 ordered emergency measures in the state “to prevent unlawful practices and unsafe working conditions in the nail salon industry.”
Recognizing and controlling occupational hazards are important steps to protect this vulnerable working population. Census data show there are 17,000 nail salons in the U.S. Approximately 350,000 people are employed in nail salons and other personal care services in the United States according to industry estimates (Nails Magazine, 2008–2009). These estimates indicate the workforce is largely female (96%) with the industry employing a large number of minority workers (63%).
For more than a decade, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted research and made recommendations on hazards faced by nail technicians. Nail salon employees are potentially exposed to dozens of chemicals including acrylates and solvents. A small but growing number of studies have examined possible links between nail technicians’ work and health outcomes, such as respiratory, neurological, and musculoskeletal effects, as well as other health conditions. Much of the NIOSH-sponsored research to-date has focused on the respiratory system particularly controlling for allergenic effect of ethyl methacrylates. Other hazards include musculoskeletal disorders, skin problems and headaches.
While research progresses for better documenting, understanding, and predicting such risks, NIOSH has worked with partners to assess and recommend practices for controlling exposures. The NIOSH publication Controlling Chemical Hazards During the Application of Artificial Fingernails describes simple measures to reduce occupational exposures during artificial nail application, such as keeping dispensers closed and wearing long sleeves and gloves to protect skin from potential irritants and sensitizers. NIOSH has also conducted and reported the results of laboratory studies on the effectiveness of exhaust ventilation systems for preventing chemical exposures. Additional information including current research is available on the Nail Technicians’ Health and Workplace Exposure Control website. The NIOSH blog, Hypertension and Low Wages may also be of interest.