General Profile

Commercial laundries began as domestic enterprises, but have developed into businesses with many unique health and safety concerns. Laundries specializing in services for hospitals must deal with possible biological hazards, and those laundering work clothes for manufacturing or service workers may risk exposure to specific chemical hazards.

Dry cleaning reputedly originated in France in 1825 when a worker in a dye and cleaning factory spilled lamp oil on a soiled tablecloth (IARC 1995a). After the tablecloth dried, the spots had disappeared. Lamp oil is a hydrocarbon. Similar hydrocarbon solvents - turpentine, kerosene, benzene and gasoline - were used in the fledgling dry-cleaning industry. All these solvents had one major disadvantage: they were flammable, often resulting in fires and explosions (Wentz 1995). In 1928, W.J. Stoddard introduced a nearly odourless, petroleum-based solvent with a higher flashpoint, which reduced the risk of fire. Stoddard solvent gained widespread acceptance in the industry and is still used today.

At the turn of the century, advances in the synthesis of chlorinated hydrocarbons permitted development of nonflammable solvents for dry cleaning. Initially, carbon tetrachloride was preferred, but because of its toxicity and aggressiveness to metals, textiles and dyes, it was gradually replaced in the 1940s and 1950s by trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene (also commonly known as perchloroethylene, or PERC) (Wentz 1995). PERC (C₂Cl₄) is a colourless, clear, heavy liquid with an ethereal odour. Today, approximately 90% of US dry cleaners use PERC (EPA 1991a).

Although cleaning practices vary from country to country and from shop to shop, laundries and dry-cleaning shops are usually small businesses; about 70% of US dry-cleaning shops have fewer than four employees, who usually perform the cleaning at the same location as the shop. The employees of such a small business, many of whom typically labour more than eight hours per day, may be members of one family, sometimes including children. In many countries, the dry-cleaning family lives in the same building as the shop. An increasing trend among larger corporations is to operate multiple “drop” shops where customers leave soiled garments. The garments are transported to a central facility for cleaning, and later returned to the drop shops for customer pick-up. This arrangement confines hazardous waste to one site and reduces the solvent exposure of drop shop workers.

The Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Process

The dry-cleaning or laundry process usually begins when a customer brings soiled garments to a shop. Modern clothing is made from many different fibres and fabrics. Garments are inspected and sorted according to weight, colour, finish and fabric type prior to machine loading. Visible stains are treated at a spotting station with various chemicals, before or after cleaning, depending on the type of stain.

Cleaning is a three-step process: washing, extracting and drying (figure 1). Wet-process washing (laundering) uses detergent, water and possibly steam. In dry cleaning, detergent and water are added to the solvent to aid in soil removal. Clothes are manually loaded into the machine, and the cleaning solution is automatically injected. Machine contents are agitated for a period, then spun at high speed to extract the water or solvent and tumbled dry. Once garments have been removed from the dryer, they are pressed to remove wrinkles and restore their shape.

Figure 1. The dry cleaning process flow diagram.

Many countries have recently imposed stringent regulations for the control of PERC exposures and emissions because of associated health effects and environmental problems. In response to these regulations, dry-cleaning processes are changing. Improved solvent purification and vapour-recovery systems are available, alternative solvents are being developed, and wet methods using water immersion are being refined to clean garments traditionally cleaned in solvent. These processes are described below.

Transfer versus dry-to-dry equipment

Two basic types of machines used in dry cleaning are transfer and dry-to-dry. Transfer machines, older and less expensive, require manual transfer of solvent-laden clothing from the washer to the dryer. The transfer activity causes excessive worker exposure to PERC. Because of high solvent usage rates, emissions and exposures during transfer, PERC transfer machines are no longer manufactured in the United States; however, older used or reconditioned ones can still be purchased.

In 1994, at least 70% of PERC machines in the United States, for example, were dry-to-dry machines, using a one-step process that eliminates clothing transfer. Many shops are replacing or have replaced transfer machines with dry-to-dry machines because of the trend towards stricter environmental regulations; however, some shops still use transfer equipment for increased productivity and to avoid the capital expenditure required for new machines. In the United States, petroleum machines are primarily transfer units.

Dry-to-dry machines may be vented or ventless. Vented dry-to-dry machines vent residual solvent vapours directly to the atmosphere or through some form of vapour-recovery system during the aeration process. Ventless dry-to-dry machines are essentially closed systems, open to the atmosphere only when the machine door is opened. They recirculate the heated drying air through a vapour-recovery system and back to the drying drum. There is no aeration step.

Solvent purification: Filtration and distillation

Dry cleaners use filtration and/or distillation to recover and purify solvents. Filtration removes insoluble soils, non-volatile residues and loose dyes from the solvent. It is also sometimes used, primarily in the United States, to remove soluble soils. Filtration is a continuous process. The solvent passes through an adsorbent powder, cartridge or spin-disc filter, all requiring some level of periodic maintenance. Each filtration system produces contaminated cartridges or powders.

Distillation, used by 90% of US cleaners, removes soluble oils, fatty acids and greases not removed by filtration (International Fabricare Institute 1990). Distillation occurs when PERC is heated to its boiling point so that it vaporizes and later condenses back to liquid form. During this process, non-volatile impurities, which cannot be boiled off, remain in the still and are discarded as hazardous waste. Both filtration and distillation produce some solid wastes containing PERC; however, dry-cleaning machine manufacturers are striving to develop new filtration and distillation technologies that reduce the amount of hazardous waste produced. This ultimately results in important savings to the owner by reducing the cost of hazardous-waste disposal.

Recovery of PERC vapours

Two primary technologies are used to recover PERC vapours: the carbon adsorber and the refrigerated condenser. These two technologies, traditionally separate, are used together in more modern machines. Carbon adsorption is used in about 35% of the controlled machines in the United States, for example. Carbon adsorbers achieve a 95 to 99% vapour reduction by removing PERC from the air. Solvent-laden vapours pass over activated carbon having a high adsorption capacity. The carbon is later desorbed and the PERC recovered, or the carbon is discarded as hazardous waste when it becomes saturated with PERC. Carbon desorption typically occurs with steam or hot air. Desorption can be done automatically after each load, or it can be done at the end of the day. If not performed regularly, the carbon bed will become saturated and be ineffective for PERC recovery. The adsorption system can handle high volumes of air, having relatively low solvent concentrations while maintaining a high PERC removal efficiency, but frequent desorbing is needed and steam regeneration produces contaminated waste water.

Refrigerated condensers cool solvent-laden air below the dew point of the vapour to recover PERC, and operate on the principle that the ability of air to hold a solvent in the vapour state varies with temperature. Refrigerated condensers are used in approximately 65% of controlled machines. The process can achieve 95% vapour control in dry-to-dry machines and 85% control in transfer machines. Condensers require little maintenance and minimize the potential for waste water because steam regeneration is not required. They do require higher solvent concentrations than a carbon adsorber. Water vapour may pose a problem because it can condense and freeze, impeding gas flow and heat transfer (EPA 1991b).

Solvent alternatives to PERC

Alternative dry-cleaning solvents have been substituted for PERC. Flammable, petroleum-based solvents generally have higher exposure limits than PERC. These petroleum-based solvents are less aggressive at removing soils than PERC. Because their vapour pressures are lower than PERC, exposures from inhalation will generally be lower. However, adverse health effects are possible, including asphyxiation, central nervous system depression and skin and mucous membrane irritation. Contamination of aliphatic hydrocarbons with benzene will significantly increase the hazard.

Two different approaches have been taken in Germany to reduce the fire hazard posed by petroleum-based solvents: developing safer solvents and redesigning machines.

Recently developed petroleum-based solvents, widely used in Germany, are either straight-chain, branched or cyclic paraffins with a chain length of between 10 and 12 carbons. These petroleum-based solvents have an atmospheric lifetime of only a few days, are halogen-free, do not lead to ozone depletion and play only a minor role in the greenhouse effect. Some of the German requirements for petroleum-based, dry-cleaning solvents are outlined below (Hohenstein Institute 1995):

• Boiling range between 180° and 210ºC

• Aromatic, benzene, halogen and polycyclic aromatic content less than 0.01 wt%

• Flashpoint higher than 55ºC

• Thermally stable at operating conditions.

Dry-cleaning machines manufactured for petroleum-based solvents in Germany today are much safer than those of the past. Because petroleum-based solvents are combustible, additional safety measures are required on machines using them. Technical advances improve machine safety and greatly reduce the risk of fire/explosion. The following measures can be taken in combination or separately:

• Using an inert gas, such as nitrogen or argon, to displace oxygen in the drum and ensure that oxygen concentration is sufficiently low (approximately 4%) to prevent combustion

• Operating under a vacuum to remove oxygen and lower its concentration to below 4%

• Ensuring that the lower explosive limit (LEL) is not exceeded, or if the LEL is not known, ensuring that operating temperature remains 15ºC below the flashpoint

• Ensuring that vapour concentration remains below 50º of the LEL, by controlling operating temperatures or by providing sufficiently high airflow.

Wet cleaning

Wet cleaning is a developing technology, distinct from traditional laundering in that it is a more gentle process and can be used on many fabrics that were formerly dry cleaned. Four factors play an essential role in soil removal: temperature, time, mechanical action and chemical agents. Only the proper blend of these factors achieves the best cleaning results (Vasquez 1995). There are minor variations of machine wet cleaning, but all techniques use:

• Specially formulated wet-cleaning soaps and spotting agents

• Increased extraction of water prior to drying (extraction speeds as high as approximately 1,000 revolutions per minute)

• Close monitoring of heat and moisture content during the drying process

• Machines having less mechanical action during washing, accomplished by speed reduction and time limits.

Garments are washed with various levels of limited mechanical action, based on garment type and amount of soilage. The greatest risk occurs during drying. Many fibres can be fully dried with little or no difficulty. However, delicate garments or garments susceptible to shrinkage must be dried for only a few minutes before being hung to air dry. Because of these problems, most wet-cleaned garments require more finishing work than solvent-cleaned garments. Long drying times and more finishing work substantially increase processing time (Earnest and Spencer 1996).

Today, wet cleaning use is limited because the technology does not yet completely eliminate the need for solvents. It has been estimated that wet cleaning can safely clean approximately 30 to 70% of garments traditionally cleaned in solvent (Rice and Weinberg 1994). There are still problems with fibre damage, bleeding of dyes and, most importantly, cleaning ability. Inappropriate use of wet cleaning can expose shop owners to liability for damaged clothing. For this reason wet-cleaning advocates are working to persuade garment manufacturers to use fabrics that can be more easily wet cleaned.

Hazards in Laundries and Dry Cleaning Facilities

PERC hazards

In the workplace PERC can enter the human body through both respiratory and dermal exposure (ATSDR 1995). Symptoms associated with respiratory exposure include depression of the central nervous system; damage to the liver and kidneys (RSC 1986); impaired memory; confusion; dizziness; headache; drowsiness; and eye, nose and throat irritation. Repeated dermal exposure may result in dry, scaly and fissured dermatitis (NIOSH 1977).

US National Cancer Institute and National Toxicology Program studies have established a link between PERC exposure and cancer in animals. Human studies show an elevated risk of urinary tract (Duh and Asal 1984; Blair et al. 1990b; Katz and Jowett 1981), oesophageal (Duh and Asal 1984; Ruder, Ward and Brown 1994) and pancreatic cancer (Lin and Kessler 1981) among dry-cleaning workers. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently classified PERC in group 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans) and dry cleaning in group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) (IARC 1995b). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates PERC as a hazardous air pollutant.

US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) data include numerous personal samples in dry-cleaning shops over the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 100 ppm, 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) (OSHA 1993). The machine operator is typically exposed to the greatest concentrations of PERC. US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) studies have shown that in many dry-cleaning shops having traditional machines, extremely high operator exposures occur during loading and unloading. Because loading/unloading occurs frequently throughout the day, in many instances exposure during this activity can account for 50 to 75% of the operator’s TWA exposure (Earnest 1996). Occupational exposures can be reduced by using modern dry-cleaning machines, solvent substitution, isolation of the process and effective local and general ventilation near the dry-cleaning machines.

Exposure to chemicals other than PERC

A wide variety of chemicals is present in laundries and dry-cleaning establishments. There is potential exposure through skin or eye contact or inhalation of vapours. Skin damage may occur from chronic or acute exposure. Chemicals that readily vaporize and have a high toxicity may pose a risk from inhalation, although this is generally considered to be of less concern than injury to the eyes or skin. The chemicals commonly used in the United States to treat stains through spotting are trichloroethylene; ketones, especially methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK); petroleum naphtha; and hydrofluoric acid. Oxidizers, such as chlorine bleaches, may pose a hazard if used in the presence of many common compounds, such as turpentine, ammonia or fuel gases. Detergents containing enzymes may cause immune reactions in many workers. The combined exposures of the dry-cleaning solvent, PERC and various other chemicals is also a concern.

Ergonomic risk factors

Ergonomic hazards in the cleaning industry primarily occur among pressers. Pressing is a dynamic and repetitive task requiring reaching, precision gripping and awkward postures. Ergonomic risk factors are also present during material handling when heavy lifting may occur, especially in commercial laundries.

Fire hazards

The dry-cleaning industry has traditionally had a problem with fires. Part of the reason for this problem has been the widespread use of flammable and combustible liquids as a cleaning medium. The flammability of petroleum-based solvents continues to present an acute health and safety hazard. Approximately 10% of dry-cleaning shops in the United States use traditional, petroleum-based solvents, such as Stoddard solvent or mineral spirits. Even dry-cleaning shops that use non-flammable PERC face important fire hazards. If heated sufficiently, PERC will decompose into hydrogen chloride and phosgene gases. The production of hydrogen cyanide or carbon monoxide is another cause for concern during a fire. Hydrogen cyanide is produced when materials that contain nitrogen, such as many natural and synthetic fibres burn. Carbon monoxide is formed during incomplete combustion. All dry-cleaning shops have a large number of potential fuels and ignition sources.

Dry-cleaning machine designers must avoid conditions that can lead to a fire to occur and must ensure that their machines operate safely. Likewise, shop owners must take appropriate steps to prevent hazardous conditions from developing. Some common causes of fires in all businesses are electrical malfunctions, friction, open flames, sparks, static electricity, hot surfaces and smoking (NIOSH 1975).

Thermal burns

Cleaning facilities have several possible sources of severe burns. In the pressing station, burns may result from contact with the head of a press, lines transporting steam, or the steam itself. Insulation of pipes and surfaces, and use of various guarding techniques, can help prevent burns.

Although modern boilers are of safer design than earlier models, they are still used to produce large quantities of steam and must be operated safely. Many of the needed precautions can be found in the US National Fire Protection Association’s Code 32, Standard for Dry Cleaning Plants, and its Fire Protection Handbook (NFPA 1991). Recommendations in these documents include building code requirements, proper storage and isolation of flammables, fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems. Recommendations concerning the build-up of gases around the boiler address ways to eliminate gas leakage and ensure proper ventilation.

Mechanical hazards

Mechanical hazards are always a concern when powered equipment is used. Presses pose a significant mechanical hazard. Presses designed to be activated by only one hand leave a potential for the worker’s free hand to be caught between the presses. Belts, drive chains, shafts and couplings should be guarded to prevent accidental contact. All moving components of machines should be guarded to prevent body parts from becoming caught in a pinch, nip or shear point. The most common methods of guarding a hazard are enclosing the operation, interlocking devices, moving barriers, removal devices, remote controls, two-hand tripping devices and electronic safety devices.

Electrical hazards

Numerous measures can be taken to limit electrical hazards. Especially important is proper insulation and grounding. Identification and guarding of live parts also helps to prevent injury from electrical current. Electrical hazards can be compounded by the presence of moisture. Ground-fault circuit interrupters are designed to shut off power if high current passes through an unintended path. When selecting electrical equipment, the recommendations of established codes and standards, such as the US National Fire Protection Association 70, the National Electrical Code and the American National Standards Institute’s C2, should be followed. Guidelines for appropriate use of electrical equipment are given elsewhere in this Encyclopaedia.

Heat stress

Heat stress can afflict workers who must labour for extended periods of time in the hot environments that exist in many cleaning facilities. Heat stress may be compounded in the summer months, particularly if the shop is not air conditioned (air conditioning is not common in this industry). Both physical and environmental factors will modify the effects of heat. Acclimatization, body surface area to weight ratio, age and diseases, water and salt balance and physical fitness all play a role in the likelihood an individual will be affected by heat stress.

Slips, trips and falls

The hazard of slips, trips and falls are especially pertinent to cleaning facilities, which are often crowded with people and equipment. Without clearly established aisles and with a large number of containers holding solvents or water, spills can easily occur, resulting in a slippery floor. To control this hazard, regular housekeeping must be emphasized, facility layout must be carefully planned, and floor surfaces should be of non-slip materials. The workplace should be maintained in a clean, orderly, sanitary condition, and any spills should be cleaned up promptly.

Biological hazards

Laundering hospital linens puts sorters at risk from overlooked sharp objects in sheets or uniform pockets. Both dry cleaners and launderers may encounter freshly soiled garments that have been contaminated with human body fluids. Garments that have come from dental and medical offices or labs, blood banks, drug treatment centers, clinics, mortuaries, ambulances and other health-care facilities can be reasonably suspected to contain potentially infectious materials. In many countries, shops that handle garments from these sources must comply with the occupational standards governing exposures, such as the OSHA regulations governing bloodborne pathogens.

Environmental and Public Health Concerns

Environmental and public health concerns have resulted in dramatic changes in environmental regulations affecting the dry-cleaning industry in recent years. Adjacent apartments and businesses can be exposed to PERC vapours by diffusion through walls or ceilings; indoor airflow through holes in ceilings, pipe chases or vents; and through PERC emissions vented outside of the shop that are re-entrained through opened windows or ventilation units. Groundwater or soil contamination can occur through frequent or large solvent spills that might occur during transfer of solvent from a delivery truck to the dry-cleaning machine. Soil contamination might also occur through improper disposal of separator water into the sanitary sewer. Finally, consumers may be exposed from PERC residuals in poorly dried garments. This is of particular concern if the cleaning machine is not functioning properly or the dry cycle is shortened to improve productivity.

Acknowledgement: This article is largely based on materials assembled and published by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Back

It is generally agreed that control systems must be safe during use. With this in mind, most modern control systems are designed as shown in figure 1.

Figure 1. General design of control systems

The simplest way to make a control system safe is to construct an impenetrable wall around it so as to prevent human access or interference into the danger zone. Such a system would be very safe, albeit impractical, since it would be impossible to gain access in order to perform most testing, repair and adjustment work. Because access to danger zones must be permitted under certain conditions, protective measures other than just walls, fences and the like are required to facilitate production, installation, servicing and maintenance.

Some of these protective measures can be partly or fully integrated into control systems, as follows:

• Movement can be stopped immediately should anybody enter the danger zone, by means of emergency stop (ES) buttons.
• Push-button controls permit movement only when the push-button is activated.
• Double-hand controls (DHC) permit movement only when both hands are engaged in depressing the two control elements (thus ensuring that hands are kept away from the danger zones).

These types of protective measures are activated by operators. However, because human beings often represent a weak point in applications, many functions, such as the following, are performed automatically:

• Movements of robot arms during the servicing or “teach-in” are very slow. Nonetheless, speed is continuously monitored. If, because of a control system failure, the speed of automatic robot arms were to increase unexpectedly during either the servicing or teach-in period, the monitoring system would activate and immediately terminate movement.
• A light barrier is provided to prevent access into a danger zone. If the light beam is interrupted, the machine will stop automatically.

Normal function of control systems is the most important precondition for production. If a production function is interrupted due to a control failure, it is at most inconvenient but not hazardous. If a safety-relevant function is not performed, it could result in lost production, equipment damage, injury or even death. Therefore, safety-relevant control system functions must be more reliable and safer than normal control system functions. According to European Council Directive 89/392/EEC (Machine Guidelines), control systems must be designed and constructed so that they are safe and reliable.

Controls consist of a number of components connected together so as to perform one or more functions. Controls are subdivided into channels. A channel is the part of a control that performs a specific function (e.g., start, stop, emergency stop). Physically, the channel is created by a string of components (transistors, diodes, relays, gates, etc.) through which, from one component to the next, (mostly electrical) information representing that function is transferred from input to output.

In designing control channels for safety-relevant functions (those functions which involve humans), the following requirements must be fulfilled:

• Components used in control channels with safety-relevant functions must be able to withstand the rigours of normal use. Generally, they must be sufficiently reliable.
• Errors in the logic must not cause dangerous situations. Generally, the safety-relevant channel is to be sufficiently failure proof.
• External influences (factors) should not lead to temporary or permanent failures in safety-relevant channels.

Reliability

Reliability is the ability of a control channel or component to perform a required function under specified conditions for a given period of time without failing. (Probability for specific components or control channels can be calculated using suitable methods.) Reliability must always be specified for a specific time value. Generally, reliability can be expressed by the formula in figure 2.

Figure 2. Reliability formula

Reliability of complex systems

Systems are built from components. If the reliabilities of the components are known, the reliability of the system as a whole can be calculated. In such cases, the following apply:

Serial systems

The total reliability R_tot of a serial system consisting of N components of the same reliability R_C is calculated as in figure 3.

Figure 3. Reliability graph of serially connected components

The total reliability is lower than the reliability of the least reliable component. As the number of serially connected components increases, the total reliability of the chain falls significantly.

Parallel systems

The total reliability R_tot of a parallel system consisting of N components of the same reliability R_C is calculated as in figure 4.

Figure 4. Reliability graph of parallel connected components

Total reliability can be improved significantly through the parallel connection of two or more components.

Figure 5 illustrates a practical example. Note that the circuitry will switch off the motor more reliably. Even if relay A or B fails to open its contact, the motor will still be switched off.

Figure 5. Practical example of figure 4

To calculate the total reliability of a channel is simple if all necessary component reliabilities are known and available. In the case of complex components (integrated circuits, microprocessors, etc.) the calculation of the total reliability is difficult or impossible if the necessary information is not published by the manufacturer.

Safety

When professionals speak about safety and call for safe machines, they mean the safety of the entire machine or system. This safety is, however, too general, and not precisely enough defined for the designer of controls. The following definition of safety may be practical and usable to designers of control circuitry: Safety is the ability of a control system to perform the required function within prescribed limits, for a given duration, even when anticipated fault(s) occur. Consequently, it must be clarified during the design how “safe” the safety-related channel must be. (The designer can develop a channel that is safe against first failure, against any one failure, against two failures, etc.) Furthermore, a channel that performs a function which is used to prevent accidents may be essentially reliable, but it does not have to be inevitably safe against failures. This may be best explained by the following examples:

Example 1

The example illustrated in figure 6 is a safety-relevant control channel performing the required safety function. The first component may be a switch that monitors, for example, the position of an access door to a dangerous area. The last component is a motor which drives moving mechanical parts within the danger area.

Figure 6. A safety-relevant control channel performing the required safety function

The required safety function in this case is a dual one: If the door is closed, the motor may run. If the door is open, the motor must be switched off. Knowing reliabilities R₁ to R₆, it is possible to calculate reliability R_tot. Designers should use reliable components in order to maintain sufficiently high reliability of the whole control system (i.e., the probability that this function may still be performed in, say, even 20 years should be accounted for in the design). As a result, designers must fulfil two tasks: (1) the circuitry must perform the required function, and (2) the reliability of the components and of the whole control channel must be adequate.

The following question should now be asked: Will the aforementioned channel perform the required safety functions even if a failure occurs in the system (e.g., if a relay contact sticks or a component malfunctions)? The answer is “No”. The reason is that a single control channel consisting only of serially connected components and working with static signals is not safe against one failure. The channel can have only a certain reliability, which guarantees the probability that the function will be carried out. In such situations, safety is always meant as failure related.

Example 2

If a control channel is to be both reliable and safe, the design must be modified as in figure 7. The example illustrated is a safety-relevant control channel consisting of two fully separated subchannels.

Figure 7. A safety-relevant control channel with two fully separate subchannels

This design is safe against the first failure (and possible further failures in the same subchannel), but is not safe against two failures which may occur in two different subchannels (simultaneously or at different times) because there is no failure detection circuit. Consequently, initially both subchannels work with a high reliability (see parallel system), but after the first failure only one subchannel will work, and reliability decreases. Should a second failure occur in the subchannel still working, both will have then failed, and the safety function will no longer be performed.

Example 3

The example illustrated in figure 8 is a safety-relevant control channel consisting of two fully separate subchannels which monitor each other.

Figure 8. A safety-relevant control channel with two fully separate subchannels which monitor each other

Such a design is failure safe because after any failure, only one subchannel will be non-functional, while the other subchannel remains available and will perform the safety function. Moreover, the design has a failure detection circuit. If, due to a failure, both subchannels fail to work in the same way, this condition will be detected by “exclusive or” circuitry, with the result that the machine will be automatically switched off. This is one of the best ways of designing machine controls—designing safety-relevant subchannels. They are safe against one failure and at the same time provide enough reliability so that the chances that two failures will occur simultaneously is minuscule.

Redundancy

It is apparent that there are various methods by which a designer may improve reliability and/or safety (against failure). The previous examples illustrate how a function (i.e., door closed, motor may run; door opened, motor must be stopped) can be realized by various solutions. Some methods are very simple (one subchannel) and others more complicated (two subchannels with mutual supervising). (See figure 9.)

Figure 9. Reliability of redundant systems with or without failure detection

There is a certain redundancy in the complex circuitry and/or components in comparison with the simple ones. Redundancy can be defined as follows: (1) Redundancy is the presence of more means (components, channels, higher safety factors, additional tests and so on) than are really necessary for the simple fulfilling of the desired function; (2) redundancy obviously does not “improve” the function, which is performed anyway. Redundancy only improves reliability and/or safety.

Some safety professionals believe that redundancy is only the doubling or tripling, and so on, of the system. This is a very limited interpretation, as redundancy may be interpreted much more broadly and flexibly. Redundancy may be not only included in the hardware; it may be included in the software too. Improving the safety factor (e.g., a stronger rope instead of a weaker rope) may also be considered as a form of redundancy.

Entropy

Entropy, a term found mostly in thermodynamics and astronomy, may be defined as follows: Everything tends towards decay. Therefore, it is absolutely certain that all components, subsystems or systems, independently of the technology in use, will fail sometime. This means that there are no 100% reliable and/or safe systems, subsystems or components. All of them are merely more or less reliable and safe, depending on the structure’s complexity. The failures which inevitably occur earlier or later demonstrate the action of entropy.

The only means available to designers to counter entropy is redundancy, which is achieved by (a) introducing more reliability into the components and (b) providing more safety throughout the circuit architecture. Only by sufficiently raising the probability that the required function will be performed for the required period of time, can designers in some degree defend against entropy.

Risk Assessment

The greater the potential risk, the higher the reliability and/or safety (against failures) that is required (and vice versa). This is illustrated by the following two cases:

Case 1

Access to the mould tool fixed in an injection moulding machine is safeguarded by a door. If the door is closed, the machine may work, and if the door is opened, all dangerous movements have to be stopped. Under no circumstances (even in case of failure in the safety-related channel) may any movements, especially those which operate the tool, occur.

Case 2

Access to an automatically controlled assembly line that assembles small plastic components under pneumatic pressure is guarded by a door. If this door is opened, the line will have to be stopped.

In Case 1, if the door-supervising control system should fail, a serious injury may occur if the tool is closed unexpectedly. In Case 2, only slight injury or insignificant harm may result if the door-supervising control system fails.

It is obvious that in the first case much more redundancy must be introduced to attain the reliability and/or safety (against failure) required to protect against extreme high risk. In fact, according to European Standard EN 201, the supervising control system of the injection moulding machine door has to have three channels; two of which are electrical and mutually supervised and one of which is mostly equipped with hydraulics and testing circuits. All these three supervising functions relate to the same door.

Conversely, in applications like that described in Case 2, a single channel activated by a switch with positive action is appropriate to the risk.

Control Categories

Because all of the above considerations are generally based on information theory and consequently are valid for all technologies, it does not matter whether the control system is based on electronic, electro-mechanical, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic components (or a mixture of them), or on some other technology. The inventiveness of the designer on the one hand and economic questions on the other hand are the primary factors affecting a nearly endless number of solutions as to how to realize safety-relevant channels.

To prevent confusion, it is practical to set certain sorting criteria. The most typical channel structures used in machine controls for performing safety-related functions are categorized according to:

• reliability
• behaviour in case of failure
• failure-disclosing time.

Their combinations (not all possible combinations are shown) are illustrated in table 1.

Table 1. Some possible combinations of circuit structures in machine controls for safety-related functions

The category applicable for a specific machine and its safety-related control system is mostly specified in the new European standards (EN), unless the national authority, the user and the manufacturer mutually agree that another category should be applied. The designer then develops a control system which fulfils the requirements. For example, considerations governing the design of a control channel may include the following:

• The components have to withstand the expected influences. (YES/NO)
• Their construction should be according to state-of-the-art standards. (YES/NO)
• Well-tried components and methods are used. (YES/NO)
• Failure must be detected. (YES/NO)
• Will the safety function be performed even in case of failure? (YES/NO)
• When will the failure be detected? (NEVER, EARLY, IMMEDIATELY)

This process is reversible. Using the same questions, one can decided which category an existing, previously developed control channel belongs to.

Category examples

Category B

The control channel components primarily used in consumer wares have to withstand the expected influences and be designed according to state of the art. A well-designed switch may serve as an example.

Category 1

The use of well-tried components and methods is typical for Category 1. A Category 1 example is a switch with positive action (i.e., requires forced opening of contacts). This switch is designed with robust parts and is activated by relatively high forces, thus reaching extremely high reliability only in contact opening. In spite of sticking or even welded contacts, these switches will open. (Note: Components such as transistors and diodes are not considered as being well-tried components.) Figure 10 will serve as an illustration of a Category 1 control.

Figure 10. A switch with a positive action

This channel uses switch S with positive action. The contactor K is supervised by the light L. The operator is advised that the normally open (NO) contacts stick by means of indication light L. The contactor K has forced guided contacts. (Note: Relays or contactors with forced guidance of contacts have, in comparison with usual relays or contactors, a special cage made from insulating material so that if normally closed (NC) contacts are closed, all NO contacts have to be opened, and vice versa. This means that by use of NC contacts a check may be made to determine that the working contacts are not sticking or welded together.)

Category 2

Category 2 provides for automatic detection of failures. Automatic failure detection has to be generated before each dangerous movement. Only if the test is positive may the movement be performed; otherwise the machine will be stopped. Automatic failure detection systems are used for light barriers to prove that they are still working. The principle is illustrated in figure 1.

Figure 11. Circuit including a failure detector

This control system is tested regularly (or occasionally) by injecting an impulse to the input. In a properly working system this impulse will then be transferred to the output and compared to an impulse from a test generator. When both impulses are present, the system obviously works. Otherwise, if there is no output impulse, the system has failed.

Category 3

Circuitry has been previously described under Example 3 in the Safety section of this article, figure 8.

The requirement—that is, automatic failure detection and the ability to perform the safety function even if one failure has occurred anywhere—can be fulfilled by two-channel control structures and by mutual supervising of the two channels.

For machine controls only, the dangerous failures have to be investigated. It should be noted that there are two kinds of failure:

• Non-dangerous failures are those that, after their occurrence, cause a “safe state” of the machine by providing for switching off the motor.
• Dangerous failures are those that, after their occurrence, cause an “unsafe state” of the machine, as the motor cannot be switched off or the motor starts to move unexpectedly.

Category 4

Category 4 typically provides for the application of a dynamic, continuously changing signal on the input. The presence of a dynamic signal on the output means running (“1”), and the absence of a dynamic signal means stop (“0”).

For such circuitry it is typical that after failure of any component the dynamic signal will no longer be available on the output. (Note: The static potential on the output is irrelevant.) Such circuits may be called “fail-safe”. All failures will be disclosed immediately, not after the first change (as in Category 3 circuits).

Further comments on control categories

Table 1 has been developed for usual machine controls and shows the basic circuit structures only; according to the machine directive it should be calculated on the assumption that only one failure will occur in one machine cycle. This is why the safety function does not have to be performed in the case of two coincident failures. It is assumed that a failure will be detected within one machine cycle. The machine will be stopped and then repaired. The control system then starts again, fully operable, without failures.

The first intent of the designer should be not to permit “standing” failures, which would not be detected during one cycle as they might later be combined with newly occurring failure(s) (failure cumulation). Such combinations (a standing failure and a new failure) can cause a malfunction of even Category 3 circuitry.

In spite of these tactics, it is possible that two independent failures will occur at the same time within the same machine cycle. It is only very improbable, especially if highly reliable components have been used. For very high-risk applications, three or more subchannels should be used. This philosophy is based on the fact that the mean time between failures is much longer than the machine cycle.

This does not mean, however, that the table cannot be further expanded. Table 1 is basically and structurally very similar to the Table 2 used in EN 954-1. However, it does not try to include too many sorting criteria. The requirements are defined according to the rigorous laws of logic, so that only clear answers (YES or NO) can be expected. This allows a more exact assessment, sorting and classification of submitted circuitry (safety-related channels) and, last but not least, significant improvement of assessment reproducibility.

It would be ideal if risks could be classified in various risk levels and then a definite link established between risk levels and categories, with this all independent of the technology in use. However, this is not fully possible. Early after creating categories it became clear that even given the same technology, various questions were not sufficiently answered. Which is better: a very reliable and well-designed component of Category 1, or a system fulfilling the requirements of Category 3 with poor reliability?

To explain this dilemma one must differentiate between two qualities: reliability and safety (against failures). They are not comparable, as both these qualities have different features:

• The component with highest reliability has the unpleasant feature that in the event of failure (even if highly improbable) the function will cease to perform.
• Category 3 systems, where even in case of one failure the function will be performed, are not safe against two failures at the same time (what may be important is whether sufficiently reliable components have been used).

Considering the above, it may be that the best solution (from the high-risk point of view) is to use highly reliable components and configure them so that the circuitry is safe against at least one failure (preferably more). It is clear that such a solution is not the most economical. In practice, the optimization process is mostly the consequence of all these influences and considerations.

Experience with practical use of the categories shows that it is rarely possible to design a control system that can utilize only one category throughout. Combination of two or even three parts, each of a different category, is typical, as illustrated in the following example:

Many safety light barriers are designed in Category 4, wherein one channel works with a dynamic signal. At the end of this system there usually are two mutually supervised subchannels which work with static signals. (This fulfils the requirements for Category 3.)

According to EN 50100, such light barriers are classified as Type 4 electro-sensitive protective devices, although they are composed of two parts. Unfortunately, there is no agreement how to denominate control systems consisting of two or more parts, each part of another category.

Programmable Electronic Systems (PESs)

The principles used to create table 1 can, with certain restrictions of course, be generally appled to PESs too.

PES-only system

In using PESs for control, the information is transferred from the sensor to the activator through a large number of components. Beyond that, it even passes “through” software. (See figure 12).

Figure 12. A PES system circuit

Although modern PESs are very reliable, the reliability is not as high as may be required for processing safety functions. Beyond that, the usual PES systems are not safe enough, since they will not perform the safety-related function in case of a failure. Therefore, using PESs for processing of safety functions without any additional measures is not permitted.

Very low-risk applications: Systems with one PES and additional measures

When using a single PES for control, the system consists of the following primary parts:

Input part

The reliability of a sensor and input of a PES can be improved by doubling them. Such a double-system input configuration can be further supervised by software to check if both subsystems are delivering the same information. Thus the failures in the input part can be detected. This is nearly the same philosophy as required for Category 3. However, because the supervising is done by software and only once, this may be denominated as 3- (or not as reliable as 3).

Middle part

Although this part cannot be well doubled, it can be tested. Upon switching on (or during operation), a check of the entire instruction set can be performed. At the same intervals, the memory can also be checked by suitable bit patterns. If such checks are conducted without failure, both parts, CPU and memory, are obviously working properly. The middle part has certain features typical of Category 4 (dynamic signal) and others typical of Category 2 (testing performed regularly at suitable intervals). The problem is that these tests, in spite of their extensiveness, cannot be really complete, as the one-PES system inherently does not allow them.

Output part

Similar to an input, the output (including activators) can also be doubled. Both subsystems can be supervised with respect to the same result. Failures will be detected and the safety function will be performed. However, there are the same weak points as in the input part. Consequently, Category 3 is chosen in this case.

In figure 13 the same function is brought to relays A and B. The control contacts a and b, then informs two input systems whether both relays are doing the same work (unless a failure in one of the channels has occurred). Supervising is done again by software.

Figure 13. A PES circuit with a failure-detection system

The whole system can be described as Category 3-/4/2/3- if properly and extensively done. Nevertheless, the weak points of such systems as above described cannot be fully eliminated. In fact, improved one PESs are actually used for safety-related functions only where the risks are rather low (Hölscher and Rader 1984).

Low- and medium-risk applications with one PES

Today almost every machine is equipped with a PES control unit. To solve the problem of insufficient reliability and usually insufficient safety against failure, the following design methods are commonly used:

• In relatively simple machines such as lifts, the functions are divided into two groups: (1) the functions that are not related to safety are processed by the PES; (2) the safety-related functions are combined in one chain (safety circuit) and processed outside of the PES (see figure 14).

Figure 14. State of the art for stop category 0

• The method given above is not suitable for more complex machines. One reason is that such solutions usually are not safe enough. For medium-risk applications, solutions should fulfil the requirements for category 3. General ideas of how such designs may look are presented in figure 15 and figure 16.

Figure 15. State of the art for stop category 1

Figure 16. State of the art for stop category 2

High-risk applications: systems with two (or more) PESs

Aside from complexity and expense, there are no other factors that would prevent designers from using fully doubled PES systems such as Siemens Simatic S5-115F, 3B6 Typ CAR-MIL and so on. These typically include two identical PESs with homogenous software, and assume the use of “well-tried” PESs and “well-tried” compilers (a well-tried PES or compiler can be considered one that in many practical applications over 3 or more years has shown that systematic failures have been obviously eliminated). Although these doubled PES systems do not have the weak points of single-PES systems, it does not mean that doubled PES systems solve all problems. (See figure 17).

Figure 17. Sophisticated system with two PESs

Systematic Failures

Systematic failures may result from errors in specifications, design and other causes, and may be present in hardware as well as in software. Double-PES systems are suitable for use in safety-related applications. Such configurations allow the detection of random hardware failures. By means of hardware diversity such as the use of two different types, or products of two different manufacturers, systematic hardware failures could be disclosed (it is highly unlikely that an identical hardware systematic failure would occur in both PES).

Software

Software is a new element in safety considerations. Software is either correct or incorrect (with respect to failures). Once correct, software cannot become instantly incorrect (as compared to hardware). The aims are to eradicate all errors in the software or to at least identify them.

There are various ways of achieving this goal. One is the verification of the program (a second person attempts to discover the errors in a subsequent test). Another possibility is diversity of the software, wherein two different programs, written by two programmers, address the same problem. If the results are identical (within certain limits), it can be assumed that both program sections are correct. If the results are different, it is presumed that errors are present. (N.B., The architecture of the hardware naturally must also be considered.)

Summary

When using PESs, generally the same following basic considerations are to be taken in account (as described in the previous sections).

• One control system without any redundancy may be allocated to Category B. One control system with additional measures may be Category 1 or even higher, but not higher than 2.
• A two-part control system with mutual comparison of results may be allocated to Category 3. A two-part control system with mutual comparison of results and more or less diversity may be allocated to Category 3 and is suitable for higher-risk applications.

A new factor is that for the system with a PES, even software should be evaluated from the correctness point of view. Software, if correct, is 100% reliable. At this stage of technological development, the best possible and known technical solutions will probably not be used, since the limiting factors are still economic. Furthermore, various groups of experts are continuing to develop the standards for safety applications of PESs (e.g., EC, EWICS). Although there are various standards already available (VDE0801, IEC65A and so on), this matter is so broad and complex that none of them may be considered as final.

Back

General Profile

It has been estimated that over a million people work in approximately 150,000 salons and barber shops in the United States. These men and women, barbers and cosmetologists (also referred to as “technicians”), perform a wide range of services, including shaving; cutting and styling hair; giving manicures and pedicures; applying artificial nails; and performing a variety of chemical hair processes including bleaching, colouring, hair relaxing and permanent waving. In addition, some technicians provide facial treatments and removal of body hair.

Technicians may be exposed to a variety of potential health and safety hazards on the job, including:

Chemicals. According to an analysis conducted by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 30% of the nearly 3,000 chemicals used in cosmetology are classified by the US government as toxic substances. Ventilation in many shops is often inadequate to eliminate chemical exposure.

Diseases. Because of their close contact with clients, technicians may be exposed to a variety of infectious diseases, ranging from colds and flu to impetigo, chicken pox and hepatitis.

Ergonomic hazards. Barbers and cosmetologists also suffer from a range of musculoskeletal disorders associated with repetitive motion, prolonged standing, cramped work spaces and poorly designed tools and equipment.

Scheduling. Working hours may be irregular and extended. Many technicians work in “split shifts”, splitting their work day to cover 12 to 14 hours of client services.

Other problems. These include poor housekeeping and electrical and fire hazards.

As a result of exposure to these and other hazards, an increasing number of people are being forced to leave their chosen profession. A recent study by Nellie Brown, director of the Chemical Hazards Information Program at Cornell University, found that 20% of US hair stylists leave their jobs because of work-related illness (New York Times Magazine, 7 March 1993).

Despite increasing evidence of risk, there are few regulations protecting barbers and cosmetologists. In the United States, cosmetic products are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is oriented towards consumer protection and has a limited ability to address worker health and safety issues. Like regulatory agencies in many countries, the FDA does not require product manufacturers to conduct safety tests before public marketing, to list ingredients on the labels of products sold for professional use only or to give the FDA information on consumer complaints. Nor does the FDA routinely test products on its own initiative; any testing done by the FDA focuses on risks to consumers, not workers, although workers may be at greater risk due to their daily and prolonged use of cosmetic chemicals.

Attempts to regulate this industry are further complicated by the differing local, national and international definitions of the tasks barbers and cosmetologists perform. In the United States, licensing requirements vary from state to state. Many countries have no licensing requirements at all.

Major Processes and Hazards

Chemical hazards

Barbers and cosmetologists are exposed to a wide variety of chemicals during the course of a working day. Technicians are at risk for absorbing chemicals through the skin or eyes, inhaling dangerous vapours or particulates and ingesting toxins that have contaminated food, drink or cigarettes. Some guidelines for reducing hazardous exposure are given in figure 1 .

Figure 1. Reducing exposure to chemical hazards.

Chemicals can affect the body in different ways depending on the concentration of the chemical in a product; how toxic the chemical is; the route by which it enters the body (inhalation, skin contact, ingestion); and the length of time of the exposure. Individual characteristics, such as general health status, pregnancy and smoking, can also affect a person’s risk.

There are thousands of different chemicals associated with cosmetology processes. In order to determine the specific chemicals contained in a product and their effects, it is important that technicians have access to, and understand, product labels and material safety data sheets (MSDSs).

Common chemical processes

Colouring hair. Hair colouring solutions are applied manually to the hair with an applicator bottle or brush. It also is becoming very common for clients to request an eyebrow or eyelash tints.

Chemicals used in hair colouring include synthetic organic colorants, complex metallic colorants and vegetable dyes. Synthetic hair colorants often include permanent oxidative dyes which use hydrogen peroxide to oxidize aromatic diamines. These chemicals are eye, nose and throat irritants. Synthetic organic hair dyes containing an amine group are also among the most frequent causes of allergic sensitization. Metallic dyes may include lead-containing compounds.

Coal tar-based hair dyes may contain mutagens. Hair dyes which have been found to be mutagenic in in vitro testing pose uncertain human health risks. However, the production of non-mutagenic hair dyes appears to be possible and should be encouraged. For example, henna, a vegetable dye, is one of the oldest hair dyes and is not known to be either a mutagen or a carcinogen.

Bleaching hair. Bleaching solutions are applied manually with an applicator bottle or brush. These solutions may contain hydrogen peroxide, sodium peroxide, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium persulphate or potassium persulphate. These chemicals can cause skin, eye, nose, throat or lung irritation. Persulphate bleach powders have also been associated with asthma among cosmetologists (Blainey et al. 1986).

Permanent waving. Permanent waves usually involve several steps: washing the hair; rolling the hair in curlers; applying a thioglycolate or similar solution; and rinsing and neutralizing with an oxidizing agent. Water sprays may also be used.

Permanent-wave solutions may contain alcohol, bromates, sodium hydroxide, boric acid (perborate or borate), ammonium thioglycolate or glycerol monothioglycolate. Some of these chemicals may cause central nervous system effects (headache, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness); eye, nose and throat irritation; lung problems (breathing difficulty or coughing); skin irritation; burns; or allergic reactions (stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, asthma or allergic dermatitis).

Manicures, pedicures and artificial nails. Nail care involves soaking the cuticles in softening agents, using nail clippers, using emery boards or nail files to file the nails, using hand lotions and applying and removing polish. Artificial nails (acrylics, gels, fibreglass, porcelains and fabric wraps and tips) may be brushed onto the nail or attached to it with glue. They are allowed to harden and then filed to the desired shape.

The many chemicals found in nail products include acetone, ethyl methacrylate and other acrylates, methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate, lanolin and dimethyl-p-toluidine. These can cause skin, eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, as well as central nervous system effects. Some nail products also contain formaldehyde, associated with allergies as well as cancer with long term use. Some products contain glycol ethers, xylene and toluene, all linked to reproductive problems in laboratory animals.

The use of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in artificial nail products was banned in the United States in 1974. Despite the ban, this chemical continues to be used. A 1982 study found that methyl methacrylate was present in 8 of 29 artificial nail products, and a 1986 study found measurable levels of MMA in the air of some nail salons. This chemical, if in contact with the skin, can cause tingling, numbness and whitening of the fingers. It also causes skin allergy in many people. An allergy to MMA can result in cross-sensitivity to other more commonly used methacrylates. In some products MMA has been replaced by other acrylates that may also be sensitizers. Figure 2 shows a downdraft table designed to minimize a manicurist’s exposure to the chemicals.

Figure 2. A modified commercial downdraft manicure table for application of artificial fingernails.

Washing and styling hair. Hair washing involves shampooing and rinsing with water. During this service, conditioners and other hair treatment products may also be applied. Hair drying is done in many ways: drying manually with towels, using a hand-held dryer or having the client sit under a fixed dryer. Styling generally involves the use of gels, creams or aerosol sprays. Washing the hair is often the first step for other services such as setting the hair, hair colouring and permanent waving. In large salons, one person may be assigned the job of washing clients’ hair, and do nothing other than that.

Shampoos and conditioners may contain alcohol, petroleum distillates and formaldehyde. All have been linked to dermatitis and allergies, including asthma. Long-term use of formaldehyde has also been linked to cancer.

Aerosol hair sprays may contain polyvinylpyrrolidone, which has been associated with lung and other respiratory diseases, including thesaurosis. They also contain a variety of solvents.

Straightening hair. Hair-straightening or hair-relaxing solutions are applied to the hair with a brush; then the hair is stretched to relax the natural curl. Hair straightener may contain sodium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, bromates, ammonium, thioglycolate and glycerol monothioglycolate. These chemicals may cause eye, nose and throat irritation, central nervous system effects and dermatitis.

Other chemical processes. A variety of cosmetics, including face creams and powders, mascara, eye liners, lipsticks and other products, may also be applied by cosmetologists. These can contain a wide variety of solvents, dyes, pigments, preservatives, oils, waxes and other chemicals that can cause skin allergies and/or irritation.

Cosmetologists may also remove body hair. Hair removal treatments can involve the application of hot wax and use of chemical depilatory products. These products often contain alkaline ingredients that can cause dermatitis.

Ergonomic hazards

Barbers and cosmetologists are at risk for musculoskeletal disorders due to the physical demands of their work and to poorly designed equipment, tools and work spaces. Such disorders can include:

• Wrist and hand problems, such as tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Risk factors include bending and twisting of the wrist while cutting and styling hair, holding hair dryers and using a round brush or curling iron. These disorders are also linked to forceful gripping or pinching caused by cutting with dull and/or poorly fitting shears.

• Shoulder problems, including tendinitis and bursitis. These are associated with constant reaching for supplies, or holding arms above shoulder height while cutting or styling hair. See figure 3.

• Neck and back problems, ranging from common aches and pains to serious conditions such as pinched nerves and ruptured discs. These are associated with frequent bending or twisting during activities such as shampooing, cutting hair below ear level, and performing manicures and pedicures.

• Foot and leg problems, including swelling, calluses and varicose veins. These may occur as a result of long periods of standing on hard floors in shoes with poor arch support.

Figure 3. Working with arms above shoulder level in a hairdressing salon in Zimbabwe.

Preventing musculoskeletal disorders

To prevent musculoskeletal disorders, it is important to apply ergonomic principles to the design of tasks, tools and workstations. Ergonomics is the science of adapting the workplace to the needs of the human body. It suggests ways to minimize awkward postures and repetitive motions, as well as the use of excessive force. It maximizes safety, health and comfort.

Ergonomic solutions may include:

• Adjustable furniture. For example, client chairs are available that can be raised, lowered and swiveled. Manicurist chairs are available with back support, armrests and seat pans that can be tilted to accommodate forward bending.

• Shears that are sharp, well-lubricated and designed to fit the individual’s hand.

• Curling irons and hair dryers with flexible handles. These can be used without excessive bending or twisting of the wrist.

• Free-standing sinks that allow technicians to wash hair without twisting and bending their backs.

• Rolling seats or stools that allow technicians to perform many procedures while seated, or to alternate between sitting and standing.

• Proper workstation designs such as storing commonly used supplies within easy reach; providing cushioned floor mats; and ensuring that cabinets are at the correct height to minimize reaching or bending.

• Client scheduling that varies the tasks and processes that a technician performs throughout the day.

• Training for technicians in good body mechanics and work practices such as proper lifting methods; bending at the hips instead of the waist; and using hair-cutting techniques that minimize reaching and bending of the wrist.

Infectious diseases

Work performed by barbers and cosmetologists involves close contact with clients. Understanding how infectious diseases are transmitted will help technicians prevent infection. Infectious diseases may be spread in the salon in the following ways:

• Through the air (e.g., upper respiratory illnesses such as colds and flu)

• Through contaminated water or food (e.g., hepatitis A, salmonella and giardia)

• Through insect or animal bites (e.g., lice)

• Through direct skin contact with infected persons (e.g., scabies, lice, ringworm, impetigo, herpes simplex, colds and chickenpox)

• Rarely, through exposure to the blood of an infected person (e.g., hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS)

While there is no recorded case of a barber or cosmetologist becoming infected with HIV/AIDS on the job, and work-related hepatitis B infection is extremely rare in these occupations, exposure to these bloodborne pathogens could possibly occur in rare instances of blood contact. Possible sources of exposure could include puncturing the skin with tools that carry infected blood (razors, tweezers, tattoo needles or clippers), or infected blood entering the body through an open wound, sore or skin rash.

This is one reason that shaving clients with razors has become uncommon in many countries. In addition to the risk to technicians, there is the possibility of skin and other infections being transferred from one client to another through unsterilized equipment.

Exposure to harmful organisms can be prevented by taking simple precautions:

• Hands should be washed frequently with soap and water.

• Latex gloves should be worn to protect technician and client if either has sores, lesions or skin rashes.

• Sharp instruments should be handled carefully and disposed of in approved puncture-proof containers.

• All tools, equipment and surfaces should be disinfected properly.

• Towels should be sanitized.

• Workers should be vaccinated against hepatitis B.

Other hazards

Fire hazards

Some products used in the salon may contain flammable or combustible chemicals. Sources of ignition can include flame from a cigarette, match or burner; a spark from a light switch, electric plug or frayed cord; or a hot object such as a curling iron, stove, light bulb or hotplate. To prevent accidents, it should be made sure that chemicals are used and stored properly. Flammables and combustibles should be kept away from flames, sparks or hot objects, and electrical equipment should be checked for broken or frayed cords that might spark or get hot. Each shop should also have a fire-prevention and evacuation plan, and appropriate and functioning fire extinguishers.

General housekeeping

Salons are often cramped and crowded work environments. Overstocked shelves may be unstable. Technicians may be at risk for slips and falls as a result of spilled liquids, poorly stored equipment or poorly positioned cords or wires. Narrow, crowded aisles limit workers’ ability to move freely without obstruction. All shops should practice good housekeeping, including: keeping aisles clear, cleaning up spills immediately, storing heavy objects on low shelves and making sure people can move freely through their workspace.

Electrical hazards

Electrical devices in the salon can include hair clippers, hair dryers, facial machines and electrolysis equipment and they should be checked for frayed wires and proper grounding. Since electrical equipment and outlets are often within splash range of water, red ground fault circuit interrupters to prevent shock should be used.

Health Problems and Disease Patterns

Skin diseases

Irritant and allergic dermatitis of the hands alone, or of hands and face together, is a common problem, experienced by 10 to 20% of cosmetologists (van der Walle and Brunsveld 1994). It often produces a characteristic rash in the spaces between the fingers. Signs of dermatitis generally include redness, drying and cracking on the skin of the hands. Eczema of the tips of the fingers may also occur, with ridging of the nail folds. Younger workers appear to be at highest risk, possibly because those with lower seniority tend to be assigned most often to shampooing and permanent-waving jobs. Most frequent causes of allergic skin rash in cosmetologists include glycerol thioglycolate, ammonium thioglycolate, nickel sulphate, ammonium persulphate preservatives and hair dyes (p-phenylenediamine or resorcinol) (Villaplana, Romaguera and Grimalt 1991).

In most cases, once an allergic dermatitis develops it does not improve, even with the wearing of gloves. Rubber latex glove use may itself be a significant risk factor for allergic responses, and vinyl gloves may need to be substituted if latex allergy develops. If one worker in a salon develops latex allergy, the entire salon may need to become latex-free to protect that worker from repeated allergic responses.

Other skin diseases of hairdressers include granuloma from hair implantation, and hot water burns. Also, varicose veins may result from the prolonged standing common to this occupation. Sharp tools such as scissors, shaving equipment and electric hair-cutting tools can cause skin lacerations. Such cuts may predispose the cosmetologist to dermatitis due to chemical exposures.

Lung problems

Allergic rhinitis (“hay fever”) and asthma have been associated with exposure to permanent-wave solution (Schwartz, Arnold and Strohl 1990), and in particular to ammonium persulphate (Gamboa et al. 1989). Hair bleach as well as henna (Starr, Yunginger and Brahser 1982) have been associated with occupational asthma in cosmetologists.

Reproductive health

A recent study found a moderately increased risk of spontaneous abortion among cosmetologists who worked full time and performed a large number of chemical services. The use of formaldehyde and exposure to manicuring and nail-sculpting chemicals were specifically associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion (John, Savitz and Shy 1994).

Cancer

Cosmetologists have been found to have a possible increased risk of developing certain types of cancer, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Zahm et al. 1992; Pearce 1992), bladder/urothelial cancer (Steineck et al. 1990) and breast cancer (Koenig 1994).

Back

General Profile

Cleaning consists of dusting, washing and polishing surfaces; washing walls; mopping, sweeping and polishing floors; as well as disposing of waste and waste water. It is done in offices, public and commercial buildings, homes and factories. It may be done in confined spaces with little ventilation and in spaces not designed with cleaning in mind. Cleaners may be independent or be employed by the enterprise which owns the facilities being cleaned, or they may work for private contractors. Those who clean may be called cleaners, housekeepers, chars, custodians or janitors, depending on the spaces cleaned and the details of the assigned tasks. For example, janitors and custodians may combine cleaning with maintenance and repair work.

Cleaners have usually worked relatively autonomously, compared to other employment categories of similar prestige. Inspection is done by supervisors, although the users of the cleaned spaces also comment on the cleaners’ work. Workers tend to order the tasks themselves and develop their own procedures (Messing, Haëntjens and Doniol-Shaw 1993). However, in commercial spaces in North America, cleaners’ routes have increasingly been determined using software programmed to take account of furniture, floor surfaces and crowding. The desired frequency of operations, area to be cleaned and time estimated for the type of area are used to calculate the total time required. Inspection may be done using a computer-programmed spot check procedure. Some of these procedures may severely underestimate the task as performed in shared space, especially if the inventory is not brought regularly up to date (Messing, Chatigny and Courville 1996).

In Canada, cleaning is the eighth most common profession of men and the tenth most common profession of women; women make up 46% of the profession (Armstrong and Armstrong 1994). In France in 1991, 229,000 cleaners worked for 9,000 cleaning companies; about a third were immigrants and 64% were women (Bretin 1994). In Denmark 85% of the 130,000 cleaners are women (Nielsen 1995). In some countries, tasks in factories and services have often been divided into “light” and “heavy”, assigned formally or informally to female and male workers respectively, who may be paid at different rates (Government of Quebec 1994). Women may dust and polish surfaces, clean bathrooms and empty wastebaskets while men sweep, mop and polish floors and carry waste to incinerators (Messing, Haëntjens and Doniol-Shaw 1993; Messing, Doniol-Shaw and Haëntjens 1993; Messing, Chatigny and Courville 1996). In other countries, men and women can be assigned to all cleaning tasks (Nielsen 1995; Hagner and Hagberg 1989). Cleaners are often relatively old compared to other workers (Bretin et al. 1992; Messing 1991; Nielsen 1995).

Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies

Cleaning may be done with hand-held tools such as brushes, brooms, rags and mops, or may be aided by machines. A variety of chemicals are used to dissolve dirt and to make surfaces appear clean and shiny. The difficulty of the task varies according to the type of surface (rough, smooth, pitted), the height and geometry of the objects cleaned, the degree of crowding of spaces and the vocations exercised in the spaces cleaned. In some places, the need for cleaning may be reduced or eliminated by design changes in the object cleaned (such as self-flushing toilets).

Musculoskeletal load

Cleaning, particularly cleaning furniture and bathrooms and emptying wastebaskets, involves rapid postural changes and many awkward and constrained postures (see table 1). Many objects must be cleaned, at a variety of heights; a typical sequence observed for dusting in a hospital room was: table (81 cm), television (196 cm), table (81 cm), telephone (81 cm), lamp (extends to 188 cm), table foot (11 cm), chair (46 cm), screen (81 cm), armchair (46 cm), window ledge (89 cm), wall sphygmomanometer (154 cm), chair legs (floor to 46 cm), oxygen fixture (137 cm) (Messing, Chatigny and Courville 1995).

Table 1. Postures observed during dusting in a hospital.

Source: Messing, Chatigny and Courville 1995.

Floor cleaning requires repeated movements (fundamental cycle time of 1 to 2 seconds in the Sogaard, Fallentin and Nielsen (1996) study) and a sustained moderate bending of the back. Constant pressure is exerted by the hands to push vacuum cleaners or buffers, tasks requiring forces near 10 kg (Messing, Chatigny and Courville 1996). Sogaard, Fallentin and Nielsen (1996) found mean back bending during floor mopping to be 28º and mean neck bending to be 51º. Hagner and Hagberg (1989) also noted static muscular loads especially at the shoulder joint. Nordin et al. (1986) found extensive forward trunk bending in a simulated janitorial task involving floor mopping. Cleaning floors and objects is usually done with repeated movements. Sogaard (1994) suggests that the sustained repetitive motions with infrequent pauses in activity may exhaust the relatively small numbers of muscle fibres involved and result in muscular disorders.

In order to clean, many objects must be moved. During 66 minutes cleaning and polishing floors, 0.7 objects had to be moved per minute, with weights up to 10 kg; during 23 minutes of dusting, 3.7 objects were moved per minute, with weights up to 2 kg (Messing, Chatigny and Courville 1995).

Winkel et al. (1983) and Hagner and Hagberg (1989) note that increasing specialization and standardization have reduced the number of opportunities to vary body movements and postures during cleaning work. It is therefore important to provide adequate break time. Formal or informal division of tasks according to sex may increase the likelihood of musculoskeletal problems by decreasing the variation in movements (Messing, Haëntjens and Doniol-Shaw 1993).

Cardiovascular load

The cardiovascular load can be quite heavy. Johansson and Ljunggren (1989) recorded the heart rate of female cleaners during office or toilet cleaning at 123 beats/minute, 65% of the maximum for their average age of 29.8 years (corresponding to about 35% of their estimated maximal oxygen uptake or VO_{2 max}, close to that of construction workers). Swabbing or mopping resulted in similar heart rates of 122 to 127 beats/minute. Hagner and Hagberg (1989) found a high level of oxygen consumption (up to 40% of the VO_{2 max}) among cleaners doing floor mopping under experimental conditions. Sogaard (1994) found that relative cardiovascular strain of female school cleaners measured in the workplace was 53% of the VO_{2 max}.

To prevent musculoskeletal problems and decrease the cardiovascular load, workload should be appropriate and sufficient rest time should be allowed. Attention should be paid to ease of cleaning when spaces and procedures are being designed and when furnishings are purchased. Vacuuming requires less force if carpets are carefully laid so as not to wrinkle when the vacuum cleaner is passed. The use of adequate tools is important. For example, extendable brushes for dusting can reduce the necessity to reach or climb. Prolonged bending can be minimized if efficient chemicals and tools make it possible to clean quickly, and if cleaning is frequent enough so that dirt does not become hardened.

The common practice of reducing the rate of ventilation in buildings during the evening or night hours, when cleaning is done, reduces air quality for cleaning workers who work during these times and should be avoided. To prevent overwork in the case where cleaning is planned using purchased software, careful observation and verification should be done in order to make sure that times allotted are realistic and take into account multiple use of spaces cleaned. Inventories of rooms and objects cleaned should be updated frequently.

Procedures and apparatus for emptying wastebaskets into bins, and bins into incinerators, have been developed so that manual lifting can be avoided.

Chemicals

Chemicals can be classed as soaps, detergents, disinfectants, porcelain cleaners, scouring powders, wax removers and strippers, solvents, pesticides and drain cleaners. They may contain other ingredients such as fragrances and colouring agents. There may be surface skin contact or they may be inhaled or absorbed through the skin into the system. Damage to the skin, eyes, throat or lungs can result. The risk of exposure depends on the concentration of the chemical and how it is used. Sprays volatilize chemicals and increase exposure. Some chemicals are irritants at low concentration and corrosive at high concentration (acids, oxidizing agents or bases). Others are effective solvents or detergents which may damage the skin barrier and make it more vulnerable to other chemical agents. Still others contain metals (nickel, cobalt, chrome) or other substances which can act as allergens.

Cleaning agents are often sold at high concentrations and diluted on site for use. The common practice of using chemicals at a higher concentration than recommended, in the hope of cleaning more quickly or more efficiently, is a source of overexposure and should be remedied by proper education and by adjusting the workload. Mixing different chemicals can cause accidental intoxication or burns. Work with strong chemicals in poorly ventilated spaces can be a hazard for cleaners and should be avoided.

The Danish Product Register Data Base PROBAS contains information on 2,567 washing and cleaning agents. Of these, 70 are considered to be potentially harmful agents causing chronic or acute health damage, such as corrosives, carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, allergens and neurotoxic agents (Borglum and Hansen 1994). These agents are presented in table 2. A study of the PROBAS register found 33 contact allergens in cleaning agents (Flyvholm 1993).

Table 2. Dangerous chemicals used in cleaning.†

A = allergen; C = corrosive; I = irritant; K = carcinogen; N = neurotoxic agent; R = reproductive toxic agent; T = toxic if swallowed; * = danger dependent on concentration.

Determination of toxicity was done by the Danish Institute of Occupational Health.