Abstract
Because of exposure to a number of potential health hazards within the work environment, hairstylists experience occupational diseases that include occupational asthma, skin conditions and musculoskeletal diseases. The paucity of studies assessing occupational safety and hygiene management among Afro-Caribbean hair salon operators in the UK promoted the study. QualtricsTM was used to assess the participants’ perception of exposure to hair products and their personal safety and hygiene knowledge, attitudes, awareness, and risk perceptions at work. In five salons, indoor air quality was monitored over one working week for selected environmental pollutants: temperature, humidity, CO, CO2 and Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) using a GrayWolf Direct Sense Indoor Air Quality-IAQ (IQ-610). The use of unflued gas heating to raise the indoor temperature was common among the salons’ operators which explains the high carbon monoxide readings recorded. Itchy eyes and nose (44.4%) shoulder, neck and back pain (39.2%) were frequently reported. Age-stratified analysis of reported occupational ailments showed participants within an age bracket of 31–35 reported allergies (24%) and itchy eyes and nose (19.1%) as the most common of occupational ailments. Respiratory, skin and musculoskeletal symptoms ranked as major occupational ill-health experiences among the study population. The study outcome demonstrated that the type of activity and the hair products used play an important role in the level of pollutants in the working environment. The substitution of the more harmful hair products with safer alternatives is needed, as is the encouragement of health surveillance.
Highlights
Haircare is not seen as a high-risk profession, the job can lead to occupational diseases that include skin conditions, musculoskeletal diseases and work-related asthma as a result of occupational exposure to numerous potential health hazards within the work environment including vapours, solvents, perfumes and dust
Among the participants that responded to the survey, 35 (22.9%) were male and 112 (73.2%) female, while the remaining six (3.9%) participants did not disclose their gender and 43.8% reported they have been working in the industry in the last five years (Table 1)
Results from salon 1 showed that it had its highest Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) peak of 2351 ppb recorded on Thursday
Summary
Haircare is not seen as a high-risk profession, the job can lead to occupational diseases that include skin conditions, musculoskeletal diseases (arthritis and tendonitis) and work-related asthma as a result of occupational exposure to numerous potential health hazards within the work environment including vapours, solvents, perfumes and dust. Due to the nature of the business, salon operators are exposed to a cocktail of chemicals through both their skin and respiratory system from hair dyes, bleach, shampoos, hair conditioners, hair relaxers, permanent wave solutions, detergents, hair spray and perfumes [1,2,3,4]. This exposure can likewise affect the customers and others present within the indoor environment where these cosmetic products are being used [4].
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