OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Labor) recently provided salons with a handy guide called Stay Healthy and Safe While Giving Manicures and Pedicures, but did you know that you can also request a free on-site consultation for your salon?

During the on-site consultation, the OSHA representative will:
• Meet with the employer and, at times, employees or employee representatives
• Walk through the worksite with the employer and employees
• Review company injury and illness rates
• Help identify hazards in the workplace
• Identify kinds of help available for further assistance
• Give detailed findings in a closing conference
• Provide a written report summarizing findings
• Assist the development or maintenance of an effective safety and health program
• Provide training and education for the employer and employees
• Recommend the site for a one-year exemption from OSHA programmed inspections, when SHARP (Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program) criteria are met

No citations or other penalties will be issued at an on-site consultation, and confidentiality will be strictly maintained. The employer’s only obligation will be to commit to correcting serious job safety and health hazards — a commitment that is expected to be made prior to the actual visit and carried out in a timely manner.

To request an on-site consultation, find the consultation center closest to your salon’s location on this website. Get more information on the OSHA Consultation Program via this OSHA Fact Sheet.

—Sree