Nail & Hair Salons
Nail and hair salons are a booming multi-billion-dollar industry in the United States, growing from a high-end, luxury service and expanding to a service easily afforded by most individuals. According to the UCLA Labor Center, in these industries, national data sources have estimated there to be between 126,300 and 212,519 salon workers, with an estimated 23,745 salons throughout the country. With the increasing number of salon workers, along with the growth of salons in the country, more focus has become placed on the health and safety in a salon environment due to the elevated levels of chemicals used and emitted into these industries indoor environments.
The chemical-products used in these salons can produce airborne pollutants into the air that may create a volatile indoor environment. Thus, this industry may require the use of air quality solutions to aid in the mitigation of these toxic and noxious chemicals and odors from the indoor air space of these salons.
Nail Hair Salon Smell
During the application of nail and hair salon products, the formation of a strong salon smell will become produced into the air space of this enclosed area. This odorous salon smell has the potential to develop into elevated levels of chemical pollutants in the air overtime with the increasing use of these salon chemicals in the indoor environment. Many of the products used in this industry contain active chemicals and other dangerous Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) within its composition that can lead to toxic exposure for human health, especially to salon workers who face severe amounts of exposure in their work environment.
Nail/Hair Salon Chemicals
Beauty salons provide Customers with a range of different services and applications that can be performed on the hair and/or nails of an individual. These specific services and applications can consist of a variety of different chemical compounds that aid in the salon treatments such as hair dye, keratin treatments, nail polish, thermal sprays, hair extension glues, etc. Depending on the treatment and the amount that is applied, this can create a hazardous indoor environment full of chemical pollutants that will spread throughout the air space of the salon(s).
The most commonly used and present chemicals found in nail/hair salons can include the following:
- Toluene: A clear, colorless liquid that is commonly used in nail polish, fingernail glue, and hair dye. Exposure to this chemical compound can lead to potential health symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, skin rashes, and respiratory irritation. The OSHA regulated limit of toluene exposure is set at 200 parts toluene per million during an 8-hour work shift.
- Formaldehyde: A Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) that is found in nail polish, nail hardeners, and in the popular keratin hair treatments. This chemical has been known to cause breathing problems, coughing, wheezing, and throat irritation after elevated levels of exposure. Salon workers are advised by OSHA to wear half-mask respirators with chemical cartridges to protect individuals from breathing this chemicals potentially toxic vapors.
- Dibutyl Phthalate: This chemical substance is found in small amounts in nail polish and polish hardeners. Dibutyl phthalate exposure in the environment can contribute to health symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, and eye and skin irritation.
- Methacrylate Compounds: Ethyl methacrylate (EMA) is the mail chemical substance used in artificial (fake) nails. This chemical can be problematic for humans as it can trigger allergic, asthmatic, and dermatitis symptoms. NIOSH advices those salon workers that remove artificial nails to wear safety glasses while performing this service
Health and Safety in a Salon Environment
When it comes to the health and safety in a salon environment, the industry has requirements that must be met within the business including temperatures, lighting, cleanliness, workstations and seating, and even proper ventilation in the environment. Ventilation and airflow are vital components to the indoor environment of a salon, due to the elevated levels of chemical compounds and noxious odors present in the air space. There have been increasingly more effective ventilation and air quality technologies introduced into the salon industry that many of these nail and/or hair salons have begun to implement into their facilities to mitigate the potentially toxic airborne pollutants from the air space.
Salon Ventilation Requirements
Salon ventilation is one of the biggest problems that the salon industry faces today – particularly lack of ventilation and air filtration to remove hazardous chemical compounds emitted into the air from salon products used every day. However, most salons, unfortunately, ignore this major requirement which can lead and develop into further problems in the environment such as air quality problems and even health problems for salon workers and Customers. Depending on the types of treatments and applications that take place in the salon, including keratin hair treatments and artificial nail treatments can produce significantly elevated levels of chemicals and odors in the environment, and without having proper ventilation and air quality solutions like an air purifier in place the environment can become unstable overtime.
EnviroKlenz Salon Air Purifier & Air Quality Solutions
Air purification is the single best way to treat and remove harmful chemicals and VOC’s from the air of a salon – both nail and hair salons. When placing air purification solutions in a volatile indoor environment like a hair and nail salon, the need for multiple air quality products will be needed in the space such as HVAC filters and air purifiers that are designed to work against toxic and noxious odors and chemicals. The traditional methods of air filtration for the salon industry in the past has been the use of HEPA filters to trap and remove fine particulate matter from the air, such as hair particles and dust allergens produce from nail debris. However, although HEPA filtration is successful at removing fine particulate matter from the air, it does little to eradicate and neutralize the chemicals that are produced into the indoor air from nail and hair products used in salons.
The EnviroKlenz Air Purifier is a highly-effective air purification device that is designed to filter out not only the fine particulate matter with the utilization of a hospital-grade HEPA filter as the second stage of filtration, but it also provides the capability to contain and neutralize a broad spectrum of toxic chemicals as well. The EnviroKlenz patented earth mineral technology was engineered to safely and effectively contain, collect, and neutralize chemical compounds and odors from the airspace to provide healthier air quality and safer environments for human health. In addition, the EnviroKlenz Air Purifier works in-conjunction with the EnviroKlenz HVAC filters to impactfully clean the indoor air rapidly, with both air quality solutions utilizing the proprietary EnviroKlenz technology.
The EnviroKlenz technology has ben tested and validated by some of the world’s largest and most respective third-party laboratories in the world, including Battelle Memorial Institute, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and other laboratories. In addition, the EnviroKlenz technology has undergone extensive in-house testing against a broad spectrum of chemical compounds such as VOCs like formaldehyde, which is commonly used in the nail and hair salon industries.
Below the graph indicates in-house testing of the EnviroKlenz technology’s effectiveness against formaldehyde.
Mobile Air System
The EnviroKlenz Mobile Air System utilizes hospital-grade technology to provide maximum air cleaning efficiency for your home and office. It combines certified HEPA filtration along with our patented EnviroKlenz Air Cartridge to remove airborne pollen, dust, odors, mold, gasses, fragrance, VOCs, allergens, bacteria, and more.
✓ Patented Earth Mineral Technology works to attack the VOC and break down on a compound level.
✓ Powder coated metal housing – Made in the USA
✓ No chemicals or masking agents
✓ Will not release any chemicals back into your environment
✓ Safer and faster at removing VOC’s than traditional carbon filters and Peco air purifier
