1. Non-communicable disease and health policy
Case Study: Formaldehyde Use in Keratin Hair Straightening Products
Work Health and Safety
Regulation of Chemicals
Indoor air quality
Source: https://www.change.org/petitions/fda-keep-consumers-and-stylists-safe-get-formaldehyde-out-of-hair-treatments

2. How well are toxic chemicals risk exposure in hair/ beauty salons
regulated and communicated to protect the health of salon
workers?
ACCC Research Survey of Formaldehyde in
Cosmetics in 2010 found some products
which were labelled as formaldehyde
free actually contained levels which were
unsafe.
Hair and Nail workers may have chronic
exposure to volatile vapours (VOC’s).
abcnews.go.com
Watch videos at the following link.
http://ehssafetynews.wordpress.com/?s=keratin&submit=Search
Formaldehyde is a recognised irritant and
skin sensitiser and has been linked to
cancer in some workers such as mortuary
workers. Children found to have high
incidence of asthma when exposed.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and Health: Workers health may be compromised by multiple
sources of formaldehyde exposure from cleaning product, flooring, paints, furniture and
other building materials. Synergetic effects also likely to occur from chemical interactions.

3. Who assesses the safe use of chemicals, and monitors indoor
air quality, in hair and nail salons?
• Local Governments and State Health Depts. regularly check for
hygiene standards in salons and are responsible for enforcing
planning requirements such as building codes for adequate
ventilation of premises.
• NSW WorkCover and WorkSafe Australia are responsible for
regulations which control the use of hazardous chemicals in the
workplace under laws such as Work Health and Safety Regulation
2011 and Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth
Employment) Act 1991
This includes businesses keeping records of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) of
all chemicals used in a salon.
• Australian Customs can prohibit and control the import of particular
goods including cosmetics containing toxic chemicals and pesticides.

4. Who is responsible for chemical regulation of
cosmetics ?
•
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) can research
cosmetics which have had complaints made about them and issue recalls if
products are found unsafe.
Other sources of potentially hazardous consumer products come through ACCC safety
Clearinghouse which include state health departments, overseas bodies such as the
FDA/ EPA, scientific publications, coroner’s reports, media and marketing surveillance
•
National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme. NICNAS
regulates industrial chemicals including cosmetics, cleaning products and toiletries
under the following Acts and Standards;
Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment ICNA) Act 1989 Therapeutic Goods
Act (TGA) 1989, Trade Practices (Consumer Product Information Standards)
(Cosmetics) Regulations 1991, Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and
Poisons (SUSMP) and Cosmetics Standard 2007 (2013)
www.nicnas.gov.au

5. Challenges and Further Investigation
How do you regulate chemicals purchased over the internet and used in
thousands of rented small business salons including some of which are
run privately from home?
The extent of chemical exposure and health outcomes for workers in hair/
nail salons cannot be fully estimated, and therefore prevented. Limited
information only arises if workers present to a health care professional.
FROM MY INITIAL INVESTIGATIONS IS SUSPECT THERE IS NO AUTHORITY WHICH ROUTINELY/
REGUARLY;
A) CHECKS FOR COMPLIANCE AND INSPECT M(SDS) IN SALONS,
B) AUDITS/ TESTS CHEMICALS USED IN SALONS UNLESS REPORTED TO AUTHORITIES,
C) CARRIES OUT INDOOR AIR QUALITY TEST AND CHECKS VENTILATION ADEQUACY,
D) REGUARLY EDUCATES SALON OWNERS/ BEAUTY WORKERS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL RISKS
OF CHEMICALS USED IN SALONS BEYOND THEIR INITIAL TRAINING AT TAFE
COSTS, GAPS AND INEFFICIENCIES/ DUPLICATION BETWEEN REGULATORY BODIES, LACK OF
KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY (IAQ) MAY ALL BE REASONS WHY
THIS AREA IN NOT WELL REGULATED. REGULATION OF AMBIENT AIR QUALITY, LET ALONE
INDOOR AIR, LAGS BEHIND THAT OF THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE.

6. Future Actions/ Policy Suggestions
•
Survey the knowledge of beauty workers to potential hazards, (including chemicals and hygiene),
and knowledge of regulation and protective measures to reduce exposure. (See Harris-Roberts et
al 2012).
•
Conduct a desktop study of internet sites keratin smoothing products can be bought at and
wether they provide MSDS. Test products more regularly for labelling compliance.
•
Conduct epidemiological studies of hair and beauty salon workers though the data gathered by
WorkCover, Dept. of Health and GP’s and voluntary blood tests for chemical exposure.
•
Local Government Authorities (LGA’s)-Environmental Health Officers (EHO’s) be given the funding,
training and resources to inspect salons for ventilation adequacy, other indoor air quality issues,
routinely check Safety Data Sheets (SDS), inform of Product Recalls from the ACCC and educate
owners/ workers as part of their routine hygiene inspections.
•
Randomly test indoor air quality (IAQ) of salons for hazards and provide simple tools for salons
to undertake IAQ Management Plans.
•
Improve ongoing training of small beauty business owners, workers (though Industry bodies and
training organisations), and the general public/ consumers in the potential for hazard exposure of
cosmetic products bought over the internet. Consider many beauty workers are young females
of reproductive age with little education and sometimes limited English skills.
•
Improve education at schools and TAFE for reading and using SDS, reading chemical labels,
conducting risk assessments and looking for symptoms of chemical exposure.

7. References
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ACCC research survey of Formaldehyde in Cosmetics (2010). Final Report Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Accessed 30 August 2013 at http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/999217/fromItemId/997161
National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) Chemicals commonly used in cosmetics Fact
Sheet Accessed 26 August 2013 at http://www.nicnas.gov.au/communications/publications/information-sheets/existingchemical-info-sheets/factsheet-1
Who is who in Chemical Assessment Accessed 26 of August 2013 at
http://www.nicnas.gov.au/communications/publications/whos-who-in-chemical-assessment
Role of NICNAS in regulating cosmetics Accessed 8 September at
http://www.nicnas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/5976/NICNAS-regulating-cosmetics.pdf
Australian Government Department of Health and Aging NICNAS Cosmetic Guidelines 2007 (Modified August 2013)
ToxFAQ Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Access 26
August 2013 http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts111.pdf
UnionSafe Website Hairdressing, Nail and Beauty Safety Accessed 20 August 2013 at
http://unionsafe.labor.net.au/hazards/106014706721942.html
University of Queensland (UQ, 2000) Indoor Air Quality Management Plan prepared by Occupational Health and Safety and
Property and Facilities Division Accessed 26 August 2013 at http://www.uq.edu.au/ohs/pdfs/pol-indoorair.pdf
K. B Rumcev, J. T Spickett, M.k Bulsara, M. R. Phillips, S. M Stick (2002) Domestic exposure to formaldehyde significantly
increases the risk of asthma in young children. European Respiratory Journal Vol 20, pp 403 to 408.
Australian Medical Association (AMA, 2013). Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry
into the impact on health of air quality in Australia. Accessed 26 August 2013 at https://ama.com.au/inquiry-impacts-healthair-quality-australia
NSW Dept. of Health (2011) Air Pollution Expert Advisory Committee Minutes Date Wednesday, 22th June 2011Accessed 20
August 2013 at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/air/Documents/110622-apeac-min.pdf
WorkCover NSW (2003) Health and Safety Guidelines for Hairdressers Accessed 25 of August 2013 at
http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/formspublications/publications/Documents/hairdressers_health_safety_guide_0123.pdf
Hunter and Central Coast Councils (2007) Guide for the Construction and Operation of Hairdressing, beauty and skin
penetrations premises. Accessed 28 August at http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/customer/env-health/documents/guidelinesbooklet-for-web.pdf
Harris-Roberts. J, Bowen. J, Sumner. J, Fishwick. D (2013). Health and Safety Inspection of Hair and Nail Salons by Local
Environmental Health Practitioners Journal Environ Health.Jan-Feb;75 (6):96-101.