Exposure to formaldehyde at work

Workers in the beauty industry may be exposed to
formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.

A whiff of formaldehyde, anyone?

Better skip it.

Federal agencies such as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) have issued public hazard alerts about exposure to formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a cancer-causing chemical that is used in many industries, including the health and beauty industry (in hair straightening treatments, for example), in the funeral and embalming industry, in mortuaries and laboratories for tissue preservation etc.

Workers who may be exposed to formaldehyde are covered by the OSHA Formaldehyde standard (29 CFR 1910.1048) and equivalent regulations.

The permissible exposure limit (PEL) for formaldehyde in the workplace is 0.75 parts formaldehyde per million parts of air (0.75 ppm) measured as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). There are also higher short-term exposure limits for a maximum of 15 minutes.

Exposure to formaldehyde has been deemed a risk because it is an irritant that can affect eyes, nose and throat and can make people cough or wheeze.

Continued exposure to formaldehyde fumes has also been linked to severe allergic reactions and asthma-like respiratory problems. In high concentrations, formaldehyde can be fatal.

At many small to medium workplaces, it is difficult to enforce the standards because of a lack of awareness of the dangers and mislabeled products, according to OSHA.

Formaldehyde “hides” in many products under the names methylene glycol, formalin and oxomethane.

Beauty and hair salons have been racking up citations for violating the formaldehyde standard, but funeral homes and crematories are also guilty of violations.

Source: Business Insurance 

Use activated carbon air scrubbers for better indoor air quality

In most buildings where formaldehyde is used, the existing ventilation system won’t be enough to provide adequate fresh air exchanges.

CleanBreeze 3: A powerful
air cleaner with source capture.

Who hasn’t been assaulted by the strong chemical smells upon entering a hair or nail salon?

Electrocorp provides strong and stand-alone air cleaners with many pounds of activated carbon plus HEPA filters to circulate clean and fresh air indoors.

Activated carbon is the safest and most effective filtration media to remove airborne chemicals, gases and fumes, and the other filters in the units also take care of dust, particles, bacteria, viruses and mold spores.

In their series of air cleaners for beauty salons and spas, Electrocorp offers source capture units with a flexible arm that can be placed right over the head of clients as treatments are applied.

The CleanBreeze 3 features up to 28 pounds of carbon in a very deep bed as well as a micro-HEPA filter and pre-filters.

Electrocorp’s RAP1224 FX8 is an even stronger source capture air cleaner with a 43 lb. carbon filter, a HEPA filter and pre-filters.

The units are equipped with long chords and wheels so that they can easily be moved from one workstation to the next.

Electrocorp also offers air cleaners for funeral homes and embalmers.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.
 

Hair salons put focus on style and fresh air

Most hair salons use chemical-laden
products that can affect workers and clients.

Organic products are popular when it comes to food, baby products or clothing – but a lot of hairdressers and salons are also catching on.

Some hair salons are focusing on offering only organic products and treatments, while others are looking to minimize the exposure to toxic chemicals conventional products may contain.

Concerned with chemicals and fumes, some salon owners in New York State have switched to all organic hair and skin products, including shampoo, hair dye, nail polish remover and more.

In the process, they have to be less concerned about chemicals such as acetone, formaldehyde, ammonia and others that are commonly found in hair and nail products.

Indoor air quality in salons has become a major topic after OSHA released a health hazard warning about formaldehyde early last year.

The ventilation system in many salons is simply not strong enough to provide workers and clients with healthy and fresh air.

Perm and hair straightening treatments are typically the biggest odor culprits in salons, and many salon owners and operators are opting for a source capture air cleaner for added protection from released chemicals and fumes.

Capture chemicals and odors with air cleaners for salons and spas

As an expert in treating industrial strength chemicals and odors, Electrocorp has designed air cleaners specifically for spas and salons.

The air filtration systems feature proprietary blends of activated carbon filter media that can adsorb chemicals and odors commonly found in the beauty industry.

As complete air filter solutions, the units also contain medical-grade HEPA or micro-HEPA filters to remove 99.97% of all airborne particles at 0.3 microns.

Along with easy-to-use source capture units, Electrocorp also offers customizable and built-in air filtration systems to meet your needs.

Contact Electrocorp for more information.
 

OSHA updates hair treatment hazard alert

Hair salon workers are routinely exposed to
hazardous chemicals and fumes.

The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a revised hazard alert about the formaldehyde fumes released by popular hair straightening treatments with keratin (like Brazilian Blowout, for example).

OSHA first issued a warning about these products in January.

Since then, formaldehyde has been added to the list of carcinogens rather than suspected carcinogens, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also sent a warning letter to the company in question about misbranding and false information.

OSHA conducted air tests in salons using Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution and Brasil Cacau Cadiveu and found that workers were exposed to hazardous levels of formaldehyde.

To make matters worse, two manufacturers and two distributors of hair smoothing products were cited for violations that included failing to list formaldehyde on product labels as well as on accompanying hazard warning sheets (MSDS sheets) that are provided to the products' users.

"Misleading or inadequate information on hazardous product labels is unacceptable," said OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels in the press release.

"Salon owners and workers have the right to know the risks associated with the chemicals with which they work and how to protect themselves."

About formaldehyde: 
Formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and nose; cause allergic reactions of the skin, eyes and lungs; and is a cancer hazard.

For salon owners, stylists and other staff members using these hair products, OSHA's formaldehyde standard at 29 Code of Federal Regulations 1910.1048 has to be followed.

View OSHA’s updated alert: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/formaldehyde/hazard_alert.html
View OSHA’s formaldehyde standard: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10075

Air cleaners for beauty salons and spas

Electrocorp has developed a range of industrial-strength air cleaners with a multistage filtration system and source capture attachment for salons and spas.

They are equipped with many pounds of granular activated carbon to remove many chemicals, fumes and odors associated with salon products.

Air cleaner for hair salons and spas:
Electrocorp's CleanBreeze 3

The complete air treatment system also filters out particles, dust and other airborne pollutants such as bacteria, viruses and mold mycotoxins.

The Clean-Breeze 3 is Electrocorp’s first-rate air purifier for salons and spas. Its flexible arm and precision cap captures pollutants at the source to provide employees and clients with safer, more breathable air.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and other options.


Related posts:

• OSHA issues health alert for hair smoothing products
• Hair treatment controversy continues
• FDA cracks down on Brazilian Blowout treatment
• Formaldehyde added to list of cancer-causing agents

FDA cracks down on Brazilian Blowout hair treatment

Keratin hair treatments may release
formaldehyde fumes.

After health warnings and hazard alerts from organizations such as OSHA (the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration) about the potential dangers from chemicals released by popular hair smoothing and hair straightening products such as Brazilian Blowout, the US Food and Drug Administration is entering the ring.

The FDA has sent a warning letter to the makers of Brazilian Blowout, saying that the product contains the liquid form of formaldehyde, which has been classified as a carcinogen.

Most at risk are the stylists that are regularly applying the product on clients’ hair and inhaling the fumes that are released in the process.

FDA specifically warned the company that its product is misbranded when it says that there is “No Formaldehyde” or that it is “Formaldehyde Free.”

The manufacturer of Brazilian Blowout has until mid-September to address the violations cited by the FDA or risk having its product seized.

Salon workers using the hair straightening product have complained about the following possible health effects:

• Eye and throat irritation
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Burning sensations
• Breathing problems
• Nosebleeds
• Chest pain
• Vomiting 
• Rashes

The cancer-causing chemical formaldehyde is released when hair treated with Brazilian Blowout is heated with a blow dryer and then with a hot flat iron, as the product's labeling recommends.

The formaldehyde helps bind keratin to hair and helps straightening it. FDA’s analysis found that the level of formaldehyde in the product was as high as the embalming fluid used in funeral homes – and way past the level that is considered safe.

0.2 % is considered "safe" -- Brazilian Blowout
contains as much as 10.4% formaldehyde

Brazilian Blowout has already been banned in Canada.

Source: Time Healthland


Air cleaners for hair salons and spas

The CleanBreeze 3 captures toxins
right at the source with a flexible arm.

It’s not only keratin-based hair products that release toxic chemicals when used – any hair products with fragrance, hair dyes and hair sprays can release harmful pollutants into the ambient air.

Electrocorp has designed a number of air cleaners for hair salons and spas that feature a large activated carbon filter to adsorb chemicals and odors as well as a HEPA filter and pre-filters for the removal of particles and dust.

The stand-alone air cleaners with source capture attachment provide a cost-effective and powerful air cleaning solution to salons and spas where floor space is limited, and Electrocorp also offers source capture solutions that can be incorporated into the design of the salon.

Contact us today for more information and recommendations: 1-866-667-0297.