Toxic Beauty No More - Health and Safety of Vietnamese Nail Salon Workers
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TOXIC BEAUTY Health and Safety of Vietnamese Nail Salon Workers in Southern California A SUMMARY REPORT MAY 2011 NO MORE! THE NAIL SALON INDUSTRY AND WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY Table 1: Demographics and work history of workers surveyed Average age of respondents English fluency Not very fluent Somewhat fluent Very fluent Primary language spoken at home Gender Position at salon Worker/Station renter Manager Owner Years worked in the nail salon industry Less than 12 months Between 1 and 4 years Between 5 and 9 years Between 10 and 20 years 41 years old 49% 44% 7% Vietnamese 93% female 93% 1% 7% 14% 46% 20% 7% The nail salon industry is one of the country’s fastest growing industries employing nearly 375,000 nail technicians and generating approximately 6 billion dollars in annual sales revenue. 1,2 In the state of California, there are approximately 115,000 nail salon technicians. 3 Vietnamese refugees and immigrants comprise approximately 60-80% of nail salon workers in the state; most of them are Vietnamese women of childbearing age. 4,5 This industry takes a physical toll on the workers who handle multiple toxic chemicals for long hours every day. These chemicals are linked to many health problems, including skin, eye and throat irritations, respiratory complications, cancer, and reproductive harm. 6,7 Workers also experience other health and safety hazards such as poor ergonomics and work-related stress. Poor government oversight of chemical production, manufacturers’ lack of accountability to workers’ health, and lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate health warnings and education materials leave workers vulnera- ble to occupational health and safety risks that impact the health and well-being of the workers, their families, the larger Vietnamese community, and future generations. ABOUT THE STUDY In the summer of 2010, the Collaborative conducted a community needs assessment with Vietnamese nail sa- lon workers in Southern California, home to the largest Vietnamese American population in the United States. 8 Seventy-three nail salon workers shared about their working conditions and health experiences. Table 1 summarizes their demographic information and work history. Additionally, five workers participated in a focus group and four workers were individually interviewed in- person. The following are initial steps that can be taken to improve the health and safety of nail salon workers: RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE NAIL SALON WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY ” “ Companies need to do research to develop products that won’t impact our health 1 Community advocates and organizations Provide culturally appropriate outreach and education within the nail salon community. Build the leadership of workers and owners to provide and promote better workplaces and create meaningful changes in the industry. Support salon owners to adopt green business practices and enforce fair labor laws. Share information with other organizations and ethnic media to share information about health and safety information in the nail salon community. Advocate and support better government over sight of cosmetic manufacturers to produce products that are less toxic to workers and consumers. 2 Nail salon owners, beauty supply stores and cosmetology schools Attend health and safety trainings to understand how to make your workplace safer, and provide trainings to your workers, employees and students. Protect the health of workers and customers by using less toxic products in your business and improving air quality. Support and encourage the use of personal protective equipment, including nitrile gloves and N-95 masks. Practice and support fair labor laws and green business practices for a safer and healthier work place. Understand and practice the appropriate classification of your workers as independent contractors or employees. 3 Cosmetics Industry Ensure that Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) of nail products are made more easy to understand and translated into multiple languages Support research on more safe alternatives for chemicals of concern in nail products Engage other members of the cosmetics industry to discuss safer products 4 Local, state and federal agencies and policymakers Government agencies such as the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology should provide more culturally appropriate staffing and information that is accessible to the nail salon community. Require in-language information on less toxic salon products and disinfecting products, health and safety information, and MSDS forms. Update and enforce labor protections and guide lines specific to the nail salon industry and worforce. Support the passage of the Federal Safe Cosmetics Act (scheduled for review in 2011) to fully share chemical content in all cosmetic products. Provide incentives and recognition for small businesses that adopt a green businesses model and address workers’ health and safety in the nail salons. Require manufacturers to use the precautionary principle in which products with chemicals that have unsafe, questionable or unknown health impacts are prohibited from entering the market. 5 Researchers Conduct research on the short- and long-term health of nail salon workers. Research the reproductive and other health effects of daily and long-term exposure to multiple chemicals in the nail salons. Utilize a community-based participatory research framework that engages the nail salon community in the research process and includes their leadership in follow-up strategies and campaigns to address the findings. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative would like to thank the nail salon workers who shared their experiences and stories with us for this project. Additional thanks go to Duyen Tran, Viet Nguyen, Ingrid Zubieta, Kevin Riley, Lisa Fu, Tam Nguyen, Linh Nguyen, Lucy Huynh, Saba Waheed, Jacqueline Tran, Tuan Nguyen, Vinh Luu, Kim Irish, Mary Anne Foo, Kathy Nguyen, Vi Nguyen, Tiffany Nguyen, Tammy Peng, and May Fu. Graphic Design: Ashley Uyeda. Photo credits: CA Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, Lenh Tsan, Heather Sarantis
Transcript of Toxic Beauty No More - Health and Safety of Vietnamese Nail Salon Workers
TOXIC BEAUTY Health and Safety of Vietnamese Nail Salon Workers in Southern California
A SUMMARY REPORT MAY 2011
NO MORE!
THE NAIL SALON INDUSTRY AND WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
Table 1: Demographics and work history of workers surveyed
Average age of respondents
English fluency Notveryfluent Somewhatfluent Veryfluent
Primary language spoken at home
Gender
Position at salon Worker/Stationrenter Manager Owner
Years worked in the nail salon industry Lessthan12months Between1and4years Between5and9years Between10and20years
41yearsold
49%44%7%
Vietnamese
93%female
93%1%7%
14%46%20%7%
Thenailsalonindustryisoneofthecountry’sfastestgrowingindustriesemployingnearly375,000nailtechniciansandgeneratingapproximately6billiondollarsinannualsalesrevenue.1,2InthestateofCalifornia,thereareapproximately115,000nailsalontechnicians.3Vietnameserefugeesandimmigrantscompriseapproximately60-80%ofnailsalonworkersinthestate;mostofthemareVietnamesewomenofchildbearingage.4,5
Thisindustrytakesaphysicaltollontheworkerswhohandlemultipletoxicchemicalsforlonghourseveryday.Thesechemicalsare linked tomanyhealthproblems, includingskin,eyeand throat irritations, respiratorycomplications,cancer,andreproductiveharm.6,7Workersalsoexperienceotherhealthandsafetyhazardssuchaspoorergonomicsandwork-relatedstress.
Poor government oversight of chemical production,manufacturers’ lackofaccountability toworkers’health,andlackofculturallyandlinguisticallyappropriatehealthwarningsandeducationmaterialsleaveworkersvulnera-bletooccupationalhealthandsafetyrisksthatimpactthehealthandwell-beingof theworkers, their families, thelargerVietnamesecommunity,andfuturegenerations.
ABOUT THE STUDYIn thesummerof2010, theCollaborativeconductedacommunityneedsassessmentwithVietnamesenailsa-lonworkersinSouthernCalifornia,hometothelargestVietnameseAmericanpopulationintheUnitedStates.8 Seventy-three nail salon workers shared about theirworking conditions and health experiences. Table 1summarizes their demographic information and workhistory.Additionally,fiveworkersparticipatedinafocusgroupandfourworkerswereindividuallyinterviewedin-person.
Thefollowingareinitialstepsthatcanbetakentoimprovethehealthandsafetyofnailsalonworkers:
RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE NAIL SALON WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY
”“Companies need to do research to develop products that won’t
impact our health
1Community advocates and organizations Provideculturallyappropriateoutreachand
educationwithinthenailsaloncommunity. Buildtheleadershipofworkersandownersto
provideandpromotebetterworkplacesandcreatemeaningfulchangesintheindustry.
Supportsalonownerstoadoptgreenbusinesspracticesandenforcefairlaborlaws.
Shareinformationwithotherorganizationsandethnicmediatoshareinformationabouthealthandsafetyinformationinthenailsaloncommunity.
Advocateandsupportbettergovernmentoversightofcosmeticmanufacturerstoproduceproductsthatarelesstoxictoworkersandconsumers.
2Nail salon owners, beauty supply stores and cosmetology schools Attendhealthandsafetytrainingstounderstand
howtomakeyourworkplacesafer,andprovidetrainingstoyourworkers,employeesandstudents.
Protectthehealthofworkersandcustomersbyusinglesstoxicproductsinyourbusinessandimprovingairquality.
Supportandencouragetheuseofpersonalprotectiveequipment,includingnitrileglovesandN-95masks.
Practiceandsupportfairlaborlawsandgreenbusinesspracticesforasaferandhealthierworkplace.
Understandandpracticetheappropriateclassificationofyourworkersasindependentcontractorsoremployees.
3Cosmetics Industry EnsurethatMaterialSafetyDataSheets(MSDS)
ofnailproductsaremademoreeasytounderstandandtranslatedintomultiplelanguages
Supportresearchonmoresafealternativesforchemicalsofconcerninnailproducts
Engageothermembersofthecosmeticsindustrytodiscusssaferproducts
4Local, state and federal agencies and policymakers GovernmentagenciessuchastheBoardof
BarberingandCosmetologyshouldprovidemoreculturallyappropriatestaffingandinformationthatisaccessibletothenailsaloncommunity.
Requirein-languageinformationonlesstoxicsalonproductsanddisinfectingproducts,healthandsafetyinformation,andMSDSforms.
Updateandenforcelaborprotectionsandguidelinesspecifictothenailsalonindustryandworforce.
SupportthepassageoftheFederalSafeCosmeticsAct(scheduledforreviewin2011)tofullysharechemicalcontentinallcosmeticproducts.
Provideincentivesandrecognitionforsmallbusinessesthatadoptagreenbusinessesmodelandaddressworkers’healthandsafetyinthenailsalons.
Requiremanufacturerstousetheprecautionaryprincipleinwhichproductswithchemicalsthathaveunsafe,questionableorunknownhealthimpactsareprohibitedfromenteringthemarket.
5Researchers Conductresearchontheshort-andlong-term
healthofnailsalonworkers. Researchthereproductiveandotherhealth
effectsofdailyandlong-termexposuretomultiplechemicalsinthenailsalons.
Utilizeacommunity-basedparticipatoryresearchframeworkthatengagesthenailsaloncommunityintheresearchprocessandincludestheirleadershipinfollow-upstrategiesandcampaignstoaddressthefindings.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative would like to thank the nail salon workers who shared their experiences and stories with us for this project. Additional thanks go to Duyen Tran, Viet Nguyen, Ingrid Zubieta, Kevin Riley, Lisa Fu, Tam Nguyen, Linh Nguyen, Lucy Huynh, Saba Waheed, Jacqueline Tran, Tuan Nguyen, Vinh Luu, Kim Irish, Mary Anne Foo, Kathy Nguyen, Vi Nguyen, Tiffany Nguyen, Tammy Peng, and May Fu.
Graphic Design: Ashley Uyeda. Photo credits: CA Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, Lenh Tsan, Heather Sarantis
FOOTNOTES: 1. Nails Magazine. 2010-2011 NAILS Big Book. Torrance, CA, USA: NAILS; 2010. 2. Dominican University of California and CA Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative. Mapping the Nail Care Industry: Personal Care Industry Information and Profiles of Leading Cosmetics, Beauty Store, and Nail Care Product Companies; 2010. 3. Stacy Meza, Administration Manager. BBC, E-mail to Tina Ling, Asian Law Caucus, March 26, 2009. 4. Sheriff RL: Policy Matters: Pedicures at what price? In: Policy Matters. Sacramento, CA: Senate Office of Research; 2008. 5. Federman, M. N., Harrington, D. E., & Krynski, K. J. (2006). Vietnamese manicurists: Are immigrants displacing natives or finding new nails to polish? Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 59, 302–318. 6. Quach T, Nguyen KD, Doan-Billings PA, Okahara L, Fan C, Reynolds P. A preliminary survey of Vietnamese nail salon workers in Alameda County, California. J Community Health. Oct 2008;33(5):336-343. 7. Roelofs, C., Lenore, A., Holcraft, C., Nguyen, H., & Doan, T. (2008). Results from a Community-based Occupational Health Survey of Vietnamese-American Nail Salon Workers. Journal of Immigrant Minority Health 8. Federman, M. N., Harrington, D. E., & Krynski, K. J. (2006). Vietnamese manicurists: Are immigrants displacing natives or finding new nails to polish? Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 59, 302–318.
”“We sit in the salon all day and breath in what is in the air in the
salon. Of course everyone is going to get sick at some point
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Percentage
Allergies
Nose,eye,throatirritation
Chronicpains
Skinirritation
Anxiety
Stre
ssCoughing
BreathingComplication
ReproductiveProblem
sBirthDefects
Cancer
Nausea
Health Problems Reported In the Nail Salons*
Workers experience physical health-related problems when working with nail products in the workplace. Allergies, nose, eye, and throat irritations,chronicpains,skinirritation,andcoughingwereamongthetopsymptomsworkersreporttheyhaveexperiencedsinceworkinginthenailsalons.Asoneworkerdescribes,“Work-inginthenailprofession,mynosehasallergiestothechem-icalsinthenailproducts.Justsittingdowntodonails,mynosehurtsandmyheadhurtssomuchthatIcan’tbearit.” Daily use of toxic chemicals in nail care products poses possible reproductive health risks and concerns.Themajorityofworkerssurveyed(68%)arebetweenthechildbearingagesof16and44yearsold.Theyallexpressconcernthatchemicalexposureinsalonsmaycausere-productiveharmtopregnantworkers.Ofthosesurveyed,10%ofthetechniciansreporthavingworkedinthenailsa-lonswhilepregnantand8%percentknowanotherworkerwhoexperiencedcomplicationssuchasdifficultyconceiv-ing,miscarriages,stillbirths,andbirthdefects.
Nail salon workers reported ergonomic health concerns. Inthefocusgroupdiscussionandinterviews,workers identified chronic pain, carpal tunnel syndrome,fatigue,bodyaches,andvisionproblemsthattheyfeelarerelated to repetitive bending, leaning, filing, buffing, andstaringintoharshlightsforlongperiodsoftime.Ergonomicpainadds toand furtheraggravates thealreadyexistinghealthconditions thatworkersexperience fromchemicalexposure.
WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS THE PHYSICAL AND ERGONOMIC HEALTH OF WORKERS
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COMMUNITY FINDINGS
Workers worry about their health and limited access to medical care. More thanhalf (54%)of therespondentsreportthattheydonothavehealthinsuranceand pay out-of-pocket to visit the doctor and purchasemedications. While workers experience health problemsfromworkinginthenail industry,their lowwagesarenotenoughforthemtoaffordtreatmentforwork-relatedhealthproblems.Oneworkershared,“IwassickinthehospitalandIendeduppayingformyvisit…Ihavenothadinsur-anceforthepast10yearsorso.Idonotbuymedicineorgotoseethedoctorsunlessitisreallyserious.”
Workers desire more workplace health and safety information to protect them from chemical exposure. Manufacturersandbeautysuppliersarerequiredbylawto provideMaterial SafetyDataSheets (MSDS),whichsharehealthandsafetyinformationabouttheirproducts,howevermostworkershavenotseenanMSDSanddo
not understand how to read them. Only 22% haveeverreceivedanMSDSforanailproduct(top
coat,basecoat,orpolish),andover90%wanttolearnmoreaboutchemicalsinthesalonandtheirhealtheffects.
WORKERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT AND WANT A SAFER, HEALTHIER WORKPLACE
3WORKERS REPORT ANXIETY AND STRESS RELATED TO WORKPLACE EXPERIENCES
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Lack of job security within the nail salon community is a major stressor. Theeconomic re-cessionhasresultedinfewercustomers,salonsclosingdownandincreasedunemployment.Jobinsecuritymakeshealth and safety in theworkplace less of a priority asworkerssufferhigherstresslevelsabouttheireconomiclivelihoodandabilitytokeeptheir jobs.Theexpectationtoquicklyaccommodatecustomerswhilethoroughlyfol-lowing health and safety precautions can be difficult tobalance.
Negative experiences with government regulatory agencies increase workplace stress and anxiety. Workers shared that experiences with the CaliforniaBoardofBarberingandCosmetology(BBC)isasourceof excessiveanxiety in the salons. TheBBCgrants li-censestonailsalonworkers,setsrulesandregulationsforhowsalonsoperate,andperformsrandominspectionandcitations insalons. Workersreport thatBBC’s lackofsufficientVietnamese-speakingstaffandVietnamese-languagematerials result inmiscommunicationsandmisunderstandings aboutBBC rules and regu-lations.Asoneworkersaid inan interview,“BBC inspectors do not talk to us whentheycomein.Theymakeusscaredand
nervous, and then we become vulnerable formistakesthatwewouldnotnormallymake if theyweren’there…[T]hat is not helpful at all, because it always feels sothreatening.”Thiscancreatetenseandstressfulinterac-tionswithinspectorswhovisitthesalons,whichcanoftenresultinexcessivefineswithoutanyexplanationoreduca-tion.
”“It is our RIGHT to ask for
safety protections
*Collectedfromsurveys
Workers want to be proactive about improving the health
and safety of their workplace. Nearly all of the workers surveyed
(88%)wanttolearnmoreaboutworkplacehealthandsafetyandmeetotherswithsimilarexperiences. Almost all (92%) are willing tobuy and use less toxic products in their sa-lons toprotect themselves fromexposure totoxicchemicalsandalsoholdcosmeticcom-panies accountable. An enthusiastic workershared,“Iamexcitedaboutmakingtheindustryhealthier.”
