The nail salon sector is booming, predominantly with Vietnamese immigrant workers who regularly handle nail care products containing harmful chemicals. Based on lessons learned from an ongoing randomized controlled trial, occupational interventions need to incorporate inputs from different stakeholders, including salon owners, workers, and customers as well as governmental regulatory agencies.

Background

Chemicals in nail products have been linked to numerous health concerns.

Methods

We recruited Vietnamese-American nail salon owners and workers in California and randomized salons into an intervention or control group. Owners in the intervention group received training and then provided education to workers in their salons on best practices to reduce workplace chemical exposures. Methyl methacrylate (MMA), toluene, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) were measured using personal air monitors worn by workers during the work-shift.

Results

We enrolled 77 salons (37 intervention and 40 control) and 200 workers. There was no significant intervention effect between the two groups. However, MMA and TVOCs were higher for workers who used gel polish and acrylic nails as well as in busy salons.

Conclusions

Although the intervention did not show reductions in chemical levels, identifying worker tasks and salon characteristics that predict chemical levels can inform future interventions to reduce exposures.