Chemicals and Ergonomics in Hair Salons and Barbers

Why is hair salon safety neglected in a small salon?

A hair salon has no heavy machinery, no work at height and no forklifts. This is why hair salon safety is often brushed aside with the phrase "there is no hazard in our work". Yet most health problems seen in hairdressers and barbers develop slowly: first redness between the fingers, then sneezing while mixing dye, and a few years later back and shoulder pain. Because there is no sudden accident, they often find no place in the risk assessment either.

From a legislative point of view, the picture is clear. Law No. 6331 covers every workplace with employees. With the Constitutional Court's decision published in the Official Gazette on 9 December 2025, the provision that postponed the obligation to assign a specialist and physician for less hazardous workplaces with fewer than 50 employees was annulled; we explain small businesses' current obligations in our article on OHS in workplaces with fewer than 50 employees. Your salon's hazard class is determined by the NACE code of your main activity. You can check the class and the associated specialist and physician times with the OHS obligations calculator.

This article covers four risk groups in the salon: dyes and chemicals, wet work and skin, standing work and ergonomics, and sharp tools and hygiene.

Hair dye allergy and oxidising products

Permanent hair dyes usually have two components: the dye cream and the developer (hydrogen peroxide). Para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and similar components in the dye cream are strong skin sensitisers. Once sensitisation develops, even very small amounts can cause eczema; this is why, for an employee with a hair dye allergy, the solution is often not "being more careful" but cutting off exposure completely.

Persulfates in powder lighteners affect the respiratory tract. Fine particles that rise into the air when emptying and mixing powder lightener in a bowl can lead to rhinitis and occupational asthma over time. We explain how occupational asthma is recognised and monitored in our article on occupational asthma.

Ask the supplier for the safety data sheet of each product and keep them in a file in the salon. Our article on how to read a safety data sheet explains which section of the sheet to look at. The list of products carrying a "sensitiser" or "may cause an allergic reaction" warning is the basis of the chemicals section of the risk assessment.

Keratin treatments and formaldehyde

Some products used in permanent straightening treatments known as keratin treatment or "Brazilian blow-dry" contain formaldehyde or release formaldehyde when heated. When the product is applied to the hair and then processed with a high-temperature flat iron, the vapour rises directly into the breathing zone of the hairdresser and the client. Burning eyes, irritation of the nose and throat, and headache are commonly reported complaints during this treatment. The answer to the question "does keratin contain formaldehyde?" varies by product; each product must be checked separately.

Formaldehyde is a substance classified as a carcinogen and skin sensitiser. For this reason, when working with products that contain or release formaldehyde, the provisions of the Regulation on Health and Safety Measures for Working with Carcinogenic or Mutagenic Substances also come into play; the first measure the regulation requires is, where possible, substitution with a less hazardous product.

If substitution is not possible, follow this order:

1. Carry out the treatment at the best-ventilated chair in the salon, by appointment and in limited numbers.
2. Use local exhaust that extracts air to the outside, close to the point where the iron is used. A ceiling fan that only stirs the air in the room is not sufficient.
3. Do not raise the iron temperature above the value in the product instructions.
4. Keep pregnant or breastfeeding employees away from this treatment. Annex I of the Regulation on the Working Conditions of Pregnant or Breastfeeding Women and on Breastfeeding Rooms and Childcare Centres essentially prohibits these employees from working in jobs where carcinogenic and allergenic chemicals are used. Details are in our article on pregnant and breastfeeding employees.

Formaldehyde does not appear in the limit value tables of the Chemical Substances and Carcinogenic Substances regulations. If there are complaints and measurement is planned, the limit value published by international organisations is used under Art. 19/4 of the Regulation on Occupational Hygiene Measurements, Tests and Analyses. We plan measurement with accredited laboratories.

Wet work and hand dermatitis

A hairdresser's hands go into shampoo water dozens of times a day. Skin that is constantly wetted and dried loses its protective oil layer; irritant dermatitis develops first, and the damaged skin barrier then opens the way to allergy to dye components. This is why hand dermatitis is one of the most common work-related health problems in hairdressers. For the diagnosis and notification process, see our article on occupational dermatitis.

The measures are simple but must be applied consistently:

• Gloves: Use disposable nitrile gloves when mixing and applying dye and when rinsing dyed hair. Latex gloves can themselves cause allergy. Disposable gloves are not washed and worn again. Our article on work glove selection explains the standard markings for gloves.
• Wet work plan: Do not pile shampooing and washing on the same person during the day; rotate it among apprentices and assistants.
• Skin care: Hands are washed with lukewarm water and dried thoroughly; an unscented moisturiser is used at the end of work. Barrier cream does not replace gloves.
• Rings and bracelets: Water and chemicals build up underneath them; they should be removed while working.

An employee who develops redness, itching or cracking between the fingers should report it to the workplace physician without waiting. Work arrangements made early can prevent permanent sensitisation.

Hairdressers' standing work and ergonomics

A hairdresser spends most of the day standing, arms at or above shoulder level, neck bent forward. The repeated gripping motion of scissors strains the wrist and thumb, and long blow-drying sessions strain the shoulder. We cover the general effects of prolonged standing in our article on the risks of standing work; salon-specific measures are:

• Chair height: Adjust the hydraulic client chair to the hairdresser's height for each client. The aim is for the arms to stay below shoulder level during cutting.
• Stool: Long colour applications and detailed cuts can be done sitting on a wheeled stool.
• Floor and shoes: Non-slip, closed, low-heeled shoes; an anti-fatigue mat at the workstation. Hair and water on the floor increase the risk of slipping; sweep after every client.
• Tool selection: Scissors sized to the user's hand with offset handles; a light, well-balanced hairdryer.
• Break pattern: Plan appointments so that long treatments do not come back to back.

For pregnant employees, this is not a recommendation but an obligation: Annex I of the Regulation on Pregnant or Breastfeeding Women requires that, where possible, sitting be provided in work requiring standing, continuous standing be prevented and, if necessary, rest breaks be increased. Under Article 9 of the same regulation, a pregnant or breastfeeding employee cannot be made to work more than 7.5 hours a day.

Barber hygiene: sharp tools and blood contact

Razors, blades and scissors occasionally cause small cuts. When blood contact occurs, blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV pose a risk to both the employee and the client. Barber hygiene is therefore not only a matter of client satisfaction but of occupational health.

• For straight razors, use a new, single-use blade for each client; dispose of used blades in a lidded, puncture-proof container.
• Clean scissors, combs and clipper heads with a disinfectant in line with the manufacturer's instructions; record cleaning and disinfection.
• When there is a cut, wash the wound under running water, stop the bleeding and report the incident to the workplace physician. The procedure to follow after a sharps injury is explained in our article on sharps injuries.
• The workplace physician determines the need for hepatitis B vaccination according to the risk assessment; for vaccination planning, see our article on workplace vaccination programmes.

Implementation list for a small salon

In a salon of two or three people, the following steps form the backbone of the risk assessment:

1. List all chemicals in the salon and collect the safety data sheet for each.
2. Identify products that contain or release formaldehyde; substitute them or limit exposure with local exhaust.
3. Set aside a ventilated corner for mixing dye, separate from the eating and drinking area.
4. Keep nitrile gloves ready at every station; set out in a written instruction which tasks require gloves.
5. Check the adjustment of client chairs, the stool and the floor.
6. Keep the blade disposal container, first aid supplies and the procedure to follow after a cut visible in the salon.
7. At the pre-employment examination, ask the workplace physician specifically about skin and respiratory complaints; these complaints are followed up in periodic examinations.

In our OHS specialist service, we prepare your salon's risk assessment under these headings, and in our workplace physician service we regularly monitor skin and respiratory complaints. You can find our approach to retail and service businesses in Bursa and neighbouring provinces on our office and retail page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are an OHS specialist and workplace physician mandatory in a hair salon?

Yes, if you have at least one employee. After the Constitutional Court decision, there is no longer a postponement for less hazardous workplaces with fewer than 50 employees. You can obtain the service from an OSGB (joint health and safety unit); the hazard class is determined by the NACE code of the main activity.

Can a hairdresser with a hair dye allergy continue working?

The workplace physician assesses this according to the type and severity of the allergy. Once sensitisation has developed, even gloves may not always be enough; removal from dye application or a work arrangement may be needed.

Is wearing a mask during keratin treatment enough?

No. First, switch to a product that neither contains nor releases formaldehyde; if this is not possible, use local exhaust. Personal protection is the last step in the hierarchy of controls and is not considered a solution on its own.

Does a hygiene certificate replace OHS training for barbers and hairdressers?

No. Hygiene training is based on the Regulation on Hygiene Training, while OHS training is based on Law No. 6331 and the OHS training regulation. The two certificates are obtained separately.