A Preliminary Community-Based Occupational Health Survey of Black Hair Salon Workers in South Los Angeles

Abstract

Black hair-salon workers face serious health hazards from the product they use on clients and other health hazards at their work. Currently there is a significant research gap in understanding the prevalence of workplace related exposures and health outcomes. The primary objective of this study was to gather preliminary data on workplace exposures and health outcomes of hair care workers in South Los Angeles. We conducted 22 surveys of salon workers at 16 salons. The results suggest the need for proper health and safety training within the salon worker community, specifically around chemical hair services. The results also suggest ergonomic workstation assessments and recommendations would be beneficial to reduce musculoskeletal disorders. Willingness of stylists to learn more about workplace hazards and how to mitigate their risks was high. Our findings indicate the need for a larger community based participatory research study on the workplace exposures of Black salon workers.

Keywords: African-American; Black women; Cosmetologist; Hair salon; Occupational health.