Health & Safety In Nail Bars – Breathing Zone & Ventilation

Masks: When wearing a mask for dust, you need a N95-rated mask. 
An N95 mask is a high-efficiency dust mask. Don’t wear a surgical mask: the dust will go right through it and the vapours will saturate the mask, making your breathing zone more hazardous. 

Windows: Open windows are an improvement over a closed salon environment; however, so much of the effectiveness of window ventilation depends on which way the wind is blowing (i.e. into or out of your face) that it’s too unreliable. Plus, if that’s all you have, then what will you do when it’s cold or rainy outside? 

Fans: If a window is open and a fan pointed out, it will help some. But if you have a door or window open elsewhere, it could create a river of air that completely bypasses your station. Relying on fans without an open window doesn’t work. That will just blow the dust and vapours all over the salon. 

Venting to the outside: If you can set up your system so it vents to the outside, that’s great. Some municipalities even have this as a requirement in their building codes; however, it is usually expensive and/or difficult to do (such as if your salon is in the centre of a mall), and many building inspectors will approve a source-capture system in lieu of venting to the outside. 

Table top portable air purifiers: Table top purifiers don’t have the capacity to hold the several inches of activated carbon needed to capture all of the vapours created by a nail salon. The filter will simply be loaded up too quickly. 

Home or office air cleaners: Homes and offices don’t generate the kind of dust and vapours that nail salons do, so these air cleaners won’t be effective in salons. There aren’t any ionizing air cleaners yet built for nail salons either, and there’s a controversy over the ones built for other environments as to whether they can expose the user to harmful ozone levels. 

A manicure table with a built-in grate: Connected to the right type of source-capture system with activated carbon and dust filters, this is a terrific way to protect yourself. Just be aware that if you have a built-in grate but it only came with a fan or no significant filter at all to capture what is getting sucked in, then it’s not protecting you. Many nail salon ventilation companies can retrofit your existing table with a proper system. (Also, don’t cover the grate with your manicure towel.) 

Signs Your Salon Needs Better Ventilation –
It’s a misconception that using your vision or sense of smell is a tell-tale indicator. You can be inhaling particles and not see or smell them. Here are a few more reliable signs:  

>  Strong product odours linger for more than 10 minutes after use. 

>  When someone uses a strong-smelling product, people on the other side of the salon detect the odour. 

>  You smell product odours when you open the salon in the morning. 

>  Windows and doors are closed and there is no mechanical ventilation system in place or turned on. 

>  Your only ventilation system is the built-in HVAC system, which does not have nail salon-appropriate filters in it. 

>  The walls “sweat” with moisture or the windows fog. 

>  Workers frequently have one or more of the following symptoms: headaches, dry or sore throats, blurry vision, watery eyes, insomnia, irritability, nausea, dizziness, cough, a runny or bloody nose, sneezing, tingling toes or fingers, drowsiness, chest aches or pains, shortness of breath, loss of coordination or appetite. 

>  Your clients, neighbours, and/or landlord complains about ¬offensive odours. 

Little Things You Can Do For Extra Protection 

There is no replacement for a three-zone ventilation system but here are some great supplemental ideas. 

>  Frequently close containers (not just when you go home at night). 

>  Use only wastebaskets with tight-fitting lids. 

>  Replace all carpet with hard flooring. (Vacuuming will not remove dust and vapours. Shampooing will remove some.) 

>  Ensure all products are accurately labelled and that you have manufacturer-provided Safety Data Sheets (SDS) on hand for all products so you can refer to control measures and handling requirements. 

>  Choose a wood for your manicure table that will not soak up the chemicals. According to NIOSH, a veneer-coated particle board works well. 

>  Wash your hands, arms, and face with mild soap and water several times throughout the day to remove dust. 

>  Don’t eat or drink in working areas. Certain salon chemicals can cause health problems if swallowed.