Boston Approves New Regulations for Nail Salons Better Safety for Workers and Customers
Lansing, MI- In a unanimous vote earlier this month by the Boston Public Health Commission, health regulators are going to start improving safety conditions in dozens of nail salons dotting the city, forbidding reuse of emery boards, mandating regular cleaning of gurgling foot baths, and urging better ventilation.
Salon workers and their customers can be exposed to germs when instruments are not cleaned thoroughly and toxic fumes from nail polish and other chemical-laden beauty products can cause respiratory, skin, and neurological ailments.
According to a study, led by Cora R. Roelofs, a University of Massachusetts Lowell researcher, more than two-thirds of the nail technicians with respiratory trouble said they felt better after leaving the shop for the day. Similarly, 31 workers reported headaches that eased only after their shift ended. Workers face a toxic mix of long workdays, poor on-the-job conditions, and a stew of chemicals adding up to danger.
The threat extends to clients, as well. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has investigated outbreaks of bacterial infections linked to tainted foot spas at nail salons.
For Dr. Marcy Street, medical director and founder of Doctor?s Approach Medspa, these new policies are significant. ?I believe these types of regulations should happen in every state and city. I often treat patients who suffer from nail fungus and wart viruses potentially transmitted from their local nail salon. It is really important to see if your salon is sanitizing equipment before and after each use. As a spa owner myself, your first priority is ensuring the customer and your staff are in a clean, safe environment.?
