Exposure of Hairdressing Apprentices to Airborne Hazardous Substances
Author Information
Author(s): Mounier-Geyssant Estelle, Oury Véronique, Mouchot Lory, Paris Christophe, Zmirou-Navier Denis
Primary Institution: INSERM Research unit ERI n°11, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France
Hypothesis
What are the exposure levels of hairdressing apprentices to chemical products used in salons?
Conclusion
Hairdressing apprentices and senior hairdressers experience substantial exposure to known airway irritants due to inadequate ventilation in salons.
Supporting Evidence
- Personal exposure values for hydrogen peroxide and ammonia were greater than workplace ambient air concentrations.
- Over half of technical spaces in salons had no ventilation system.
- Apprentices were mostly female, with a significant number in their second year of training.
Takeaway
Hairdressing students breathe in harmful chemicals while they work, and many salons don't have good ventilation to help keep the air clean.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study involving questionnaires and personal exposure measurements over two seasons.
Potential Biases
Participants may have been reluctant to participate due to fear of repercussions from salon owners.
Limitations
The study faced challenges in recruiting a larger sample size and obtaining consent from salon owners.
Participant Demographics
The majority of participants were female apprentices in hairdressing schools.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
[0.003*-0.18]
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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