The salon industry is one that is at constant risk of bloodborne pathogens. It’s important to understand what these are, how they can be transferred from person to person, and how to protect yourself.
What are Bloodborne Pathogens?
Bloodborne pathogens are diseases that are transmitted by blood or other body fluids. Bloodborne pathogens include hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, and AIDS.
Hepatitis B is a virus that attacks the liver and can cause lifelong illness if not treated properly. Hepatitis C (HCV) also attacks the liver but does not always cause symptoms of illness until later in life when it becomes severe enough to warrant treatment. Both hepatitis B and HCV can be transmitted through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids such as semen or vaginal secretions during sex without barrier protection like condoms; sharing needles; tattoos are done with unsterilized equipment; acupuncture treatments where the needles may have been used on multiple patients without being cleaned between uses; dentists who use their own tools instead of disposable ones; piercers who pierce ears using reusable earrings instead of disposable ones; manicurists who cut hangnails off fingers with sharp scissors instead of clipping them off one at a time with clippers
The Need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
The need for personal protective equipment (PPE) is obvious when dealing with bloodborne pathogens in the salon industry. PPE should be used when there is a risk of exposure to blood or other body fluids. This includes:
- Gloves
- Masks, goggles, and protective clothing
- Face shields or visors
What PPE do you need to protect yourself?
- Gloves. Gloves should be worn at all times while working with clients, except when you are washing your hands or using the restroom.
- Goggles and face mask. These items are optional, but they can help protect you from bloodborne pathogens if used correctly.
- Apron or smock: This is not a required piece of PPE; however, it can be useful in preventing stains on your clothing and shoes that may not come out easily if you only use gloves and goggles/face masks during work hours.
- Shoes: If the salon has carpeting or other soft surfaces where people walk barefoot (such as waiting rooms), consider wearing closed-toe shoes instead of flip-flops or sandals.
- Wash hands after removing PPE! It's important to wash hands immediately after taking off any type of protective gear because germs could still be present on them even though it has been disinfected.
- Throw away disposable equipment after each client session; do not reuse these items because doing so would increase the risk of cross-contamination between clients.
- Clean reusable tools thoroughly using soap and water before disinfecting them with bleach solution; this includes combs/brushes which may harbor bacteria due to contact with skin flakes & dandruff.
- Have a first aid kit available just in case someone gets injured while getting their haircut (e.g., accidental cut). Make sure there are enough supplies inside so staff members know where everything is located at all times!
How to Use Your PPE Properly
- After each use, clean and disinfect all PPE. This can be done by washing with soap and water or using an EPA-registered disinfectant. You should also check to make sure there are no tears or holes in your gloves before using them again.
- If you don't have enough PPE on hand for all employees to use properly, then make sure they at least wear gloves when touching bloodborne pathogens (BBPs). This will help prevent transmission of diseases like hepatitis B and C as well as HIV/AIDS through direct contact with BBP like blood or bodily fluids from infected persons.
- Store all used PPE away from food so that it doesn't come into contact with any other person's food while being stored.
- Always follow proper safety procedures when handling sharp objects such as scalpels--and remember not to cut yourself!
Takeaway:
The takeaway from this article is that bloodborne pathogens are a serious concern in the salon industry. You need to protect yourself and your clients by using proper PPE, which is something that can be difficult for some people.
There are different types of PPE available, but it's important to know how each type works before purchasing it. For example, some gloves may be made with natural materials like cotton or latex whereas others might be made with synthetic materials like nitrile rubber or polyurethane foam rubber; each type has its own pros and cons when it comes down to effectiveness against chemical exposure from cleaners or disinfectants (which we'll discuss later). The most important thing is knowing what kind of protection you need based on what tasks you're doing during work hours so that nothing gets in the way of your health!
Conclusion
We hope that you have a better understanding of the risks involved with working in a salon. The most important thing is to know what bloodborne pathogens are and how they can affect your health. You should also know what PPE you need in order to protect yourself from these pathogens as well as how to use it properly when performing any tasks related to hair-cutting or coloring services.
