Dermatitis and Asthma

This year the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and many local authorities including Gedling Borough Council are taking part in a national initiative to inform businesses and employees about occupational dermatitis and asthma and what steps can be practically taken to help reduce the incidence of these diseases. In the past many visits were carried out to local hairdressers in the area to check on the use of chemicals and to see what arrangements businesses had in place to prevent dermatitis in staff from the use of chemicals and having hands always in water. Revisits are being made this year to a number of local hairdressers and beauty salons to check on progress made.

Food Businesses

During 2008-9 officers will be providing dermatitis information to caterers and discussing potential problems where hand preparation of vegetables and washing up by hand is carried out.

Hairdressers and the Beauty Industry

Although the manufacturers of hair and beauty products now aim to use safe ingredients in their products the incidence of dermatitis and asthma following exposure to chemicals in the industry remains a concern. Unfortunately despite safer ingredients being used individual sensitivity to certain chemicals and repeated use of products by staff may bring about health problems. A study of British hairdressers has suggested that around 50,000 hairdressers (over 45%) suffer from dermatitis.

HSE Information

The HSE has produced a range of very useful and informative leaflets to help employers (including the self-employed and franchisees) in the hair and beauty sector-and the catering industry ,these may be downloaded below and form a valuable part in helping to comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

The national website of the HSE contains much more general health, safety and welfare information for businesses in the hair and beauty sector" Our Links page contains a link to the website of the HSE for you to browse.

Nail Technicians and Salon Owners Leaflet

You can download a useful lealfet entitiled "Health and safety best practice advice for nail technicians and salon owners which has been produced by Bristol City Council. (pdf file size 621KB).

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