information about OSHA’s investigations, the health hazards of formaldehyde and how to protect people who are
working with hair smoothing and
straightening products.
Responding to complaints and referrals about possible exposure to
formaldehyde, federal OSHA and many
state occupational safety and health
agencies are conducting investigations.
[From: 31]
Oregon-OSHA, Connecticut’s Department of Public Health, and agencies in
several other states already have issued
warnings.
Federal OSHA has found formaldehyde in the air when stylists used hair
smoothing products, some of which do
have formaldehyde listed on their labels
or in MSDS as required by law. During
one investigation, the agency’s air tests
showed formaldehyde at levels greater
than OSHA’s limits for a salon, even
though the product tested was labeled as
formaldehyde-free. California-OSHA recently issued violations to an importer
and distributer of smoothing products
labeled formaldehyde-free for failing to
list formaldehyde as a hazardous ingredient on the company’s product labels
and in MSDS.
“Workers have the right to know the
risks associated with the chemicals with
which they work, and how to protect
themselves,” said federal OSHA Assistant
Secretary David Michaels. “Employers
need to know these risks in order to
ensure the safety and health of their
employees.”
To eliminate potential worker expo-
sure, OSHA recommends that salon own-
ers use products that do not contain
formaldehyde, methylene glycol, forma-
lin, methylene oxide, paraform, formic
aldehyde, methanal, oxomethane,
oxymethylene or Chemical Abstract
Service Number 50-00-0.
If a salon owner decides to continue
using a formaldehyde-containing hair
smoothing product, then he or she must
follow OSHA’s formaldehyde standard.
Important requirements of this standard
include conducting air monitoring, installing ventilation where needed and
training workers about formaldehyde, as
well as providing protective equipment
such as gloves, chemical splash goggles,
face shields and chemical-resistant
aprons.
A profile of the industrial hygiene
profession in the Feb. 13 edition of
The Oklahoman features interviews
with three IHs, including AIHA
member Charles L. Marshall, CIH,
CSP, CHMM. “Industrial hygienists
make difference in workers’ lives,”
by Oklahoman business writer Paula
Burkes, summarizes the education
and personality traits necessary for a
career in industrial hygiene. Marshall tells Burkes, “The field is about
applying science to solve problems
and make the world a better place to
live.”
IH in the News
