An Evaluation of Health and Safety Management Practices in the Hairdressing Industry
Health And Safety Issues From Chemical Use
Dermatitis
Hairdressing products contain chemicals that can cause skin diseases - for both hairdressers and clients.
The skin is the main point of entry into the body, given the way chemicals are used in hairdressing. The product companies state they are committed to using chemicals with the least possible toxicity - that will achieve the desired hair enhancement effects.
There are two types of occupational skin disease.
Irritant contact dermatitis
Irritant contact dermatitis caused by water, shampoos and conditioners, cleaning agents and other strong chemicals. Continual wetting and drying of the skin, as well as contact with these substances will de-fat the skin and cause it to dry out, flake, split and crack. This will occur more rapidly with sensitive skin, especially in people with a history of asthma, eczema or hay fever.
Irritant dermatitis often occurs gradually.
It can affect apprentices, juniors and casuals who do a lot of work at the basin.
Taking good care of your hands and protecting them from the very beginning of your career will prevent this condition.
This condition can be treated and cured but will occur again unless the proper protective actions are taken.
Allergic contact dermatitis
Allergic contact dermatitis is caused by chemicals in dyes and tints, perm solutions and bleach. You can become allergic to the chemicals, causing the skin to itch, flake, split, crack, and blister.
The skin will flare up in a few hours after the particular chemical has been in contact with it.
It may take days or weeks to settle.
Allergic dermatitis can occur at any time in a hairdresser's career and often happens in combination with irritant dermatitis. It is diagnosed by patch testing in a specialized clinic.
Once this condition has developed - there is no cure. Prevention is the key.
There is a noticeable difference in the incidence and history of irritant dermatitis between salons. This suggests there could be value in a study of the factors affecting the incidence of dermatitis.
No data on the incidence of allergic dermatitis in New Zealand has been found. Anecdotal information from within the Industry and from dermatologists suggests that the incidence is less than for irritant dermatitis but the effects are more severe, likely to be longer lasting and more difficult to treat. There is no cure.
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association of New Zealand
The Association has supplied the following information.
The products that require glove protection and eye protection are:
- Peroxide solutions 3 to 6%
- Peroxide solutions 7 to 12%
- Bleach Powders
- Acid Perms including ether free
- Alkaline perms and relaxers
- Hair Colour Flammable
- Hair Colour - Permanent/Semipermanent whether cream or liquid
- Hair Colour - Aerosol
Shampoos and Conditioners have the words "gloves recommended" on all Safety Data Sheets.
The instructions on the products say to wear gloves and eye protection when handling colours, bleaches etc. and to wear gloves when washing hair.
Frequent or continuous wearing of gloves may cause sweating in the gloves and this could contribute to the development of irritant dermatitis.
Some people are allergic to fragrances.
Working with chemicals
Observations and comments
- In practice in salons and also in some of the training schools, gloves are only worn when applying full colour and doing roots.
- For foils, few hairdressers use gloves as they consider the gloves make it difficult to handle the foil and only if they are careless will colour get onto the skin.
- Some wear gloves when mixing.
- Quote "I wear gloves to keep the colour off my skin".
- When interviewing a 'once was a hairdresser' she said " I was a hairdresser and am still allergic to chemicals 12 years later".
- No eye protection was observed.
- Users said that the gloves drag on washed hair and clients complain.
- Can't test the temperature of the water with gloves on.
- Latex gloves. Very few hairdressers are aware that latex gloves are a poor chemical barrier and can cause dermatitis. If a person develops irritant dermatitis and decides to wear gloves, latex gloves could also aggravate the dermatitis.
- Allergy tests are not used regularly for staff with a new product, or with clients. Clients don't want to come back in 24 hours.
- "Can't feel the temperature of the water".
Risk
- Irritant Dermatitis
- There are short term and long term effects of dermatitis. Developing skin rashes, itching, broken skin and pain. Longer term continuing skin reactions and continuing severe allergic reactions that can continue forever.
Interventions
- One large salon and its training school working in the high end of the market requires gloves to be worn for all chemical work and applying shampoo.
- Carry out pre-employment checks for the presence of or a history of eczema, rashes, asthma or hay fever. Advise of the risks and the constant requirement to protect the hands from chemicals and wet work.
- Develop Industry procedures for the protection of the skin from chemicals and wet work that can lead to dermatitis.
- Follow the recommendations for protection of the hands and the eyes during mixing, application and washing out.
- If you are using re-usable gloves take particular note of the procedures for washing them and, one pair for one person.
- Develop and display at the mixing table, an information sheet on action to follow in case of a spill onto the skin or elsewhere and include the protective equipment to be worn. This information is contained in the Material Safety Data Sheets.
- There needs to be improved understanding and knowledge of the structure and function of the hand skin, the effects of shampoos, conditioners and colour chemicals and how to protect the skin. Understanding helps lead to change to better protective measures.
- The Hairdressing Forum, which operates under the Institute of Technology and Polytechnics, is conducting research into allergic reactions and patch testing.
- Allergy testing should be carried out on new entrant staff and on all staff when a new product is first used in a salon.
- The product manufacturers safety instructions should be followed.
Gloves.
Select your gloves on the basis of the type of material used to make the glove rather than the brand name.
Do not use latex disposable gloves with or without powder. They have a low resistance to chemicals and can themselves cause dermatitis.
Use nitrile, vinyl or polylethylene based gloves as disposable gloves.
Some re-usable gloves made for the hairdressing Industry come up over the wrist and have a low co-efficient of friction and thus less drag on the hair. They are made from low protein latex and are safer than ordinary latex disposable gloves.
If you use re-usable gloves take particular note of the procedures for washing them and, one pair for one person.
Wet Work that can cause irritant dermatitis
Includes shampooing and washing out colours etc.
Avoiding doing wet work for all or most of the day.
Remove rings when doing wet work. They can lead to nickel allergy.
Dry the hands thoroughly after each wash.
Moisturise your skin. Use barrier and emollient creams frequently at the beginning of each days work, during the day, at the end of the working day and when going to bed.
Use a rich sorbolene cream, not a runny cream, with 10% glycerin which contains no perfumes.
Rub well into the fingers, the web spaces between the fingers and the wrists.
Use nitrile, vinyl or polylethylene based gloves to protect the hands when exposed to wetness. Nitrile based gloves have less drag on the hair.
Find other ways of determining the temperature of the water. Use a thermometer and also check with the client as they have different heat tolerances.
Chemicals contained in Colours and similar products
Wear disposable gloves at all times when working with chemicals.
Wear eye protection for colours, bleaches etc when mixing.
Constantly look for products that contain safer chemicals.
Research is needed to compare the risk of chemical allergies from organic and standard products.
Follow the product safety instructions.