I decided to look up the Material Safety Data Sheet of a nail salon worker and chose to read up about a base coat product. The product contains the hazardous chemicals trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide and
hydroxyethylmethacrylate. The health risks associated with these chemicals are potential allergic skin reaction, damage of fertility or the unborn child, and repiratory issues.
The precautionary statements are:
- Obtain special instructions before use
- Do not handle until all safety precautions have been read and understood
- Avoid breathing vapors
- Contaminated work clothing should not be allowed out of the workplace
- Wear protective gloves, eye protection
- IF ON SKIN: Wash with plenty of Wash off immediately with soap and plenty of water
I believe that the safety data sheet is an adequate tool for nail salon workers to understand about the chemicals they are working with because the data sheet lists out the ingredients and its potential health risks, first aid measure, firefighting measures, accidental release measures, and handling and storage instructions. However, the worker will need to be at a 6th grade reading level to understand. In California, many nail salon workers are Asian immigrants and do not read or speak English, therefore this population are most likely not reading the data sheets and are not educated about their occupational health.
Hi Sandy,
ReplyDeleteAt this point it doesn’t surprise me that harmful chemicals can be found in products we put in our bodies. I found the MSDS is a valuable tool to see what we’re putting on our bodies and hopefully inspire us to stay away from such chemicals!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteSad to hear this exists. I don't know much about nail salons but I do know what they smell like as I walk by many of them in SF. The ammonia and alcohol smell is so distinct I don't know how they work in areas like that for 8 hours a day. It is terrible. Dan