Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety
This domain tests how pathogens move through a salon and how you break the chain of infection without damaging tools or exposing yourself. Expect questions on cleaning versus disinfection versus sterilization, product labels, hand hygiene, and bloodborne pathogen rules.
Core rules
- Cleaning removes visible debris with soap and water; disinfection kills most pathogens on nonporous surfaces; sterilization destroys all microbial life, including spores.
- Use an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant at the label contact time. Match the claim to the job: bactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal, and tuberculocidal claims are not interchangeable.
- Wash hands before and after every client. Wear gloves for blood, body fluids, and broken skin. Never double-dip implements or reuse porous files, buffers, or wooden sticks.
- Keep a spill kit and follow exposure procedures: stop, glove, clean, disinfect or sterilize, document, and notify.
- Store chemicals with SDS access, ventilate the work area, and keep food and drink away from service stations.
Worked example
A metal nipper nicks a client and visible blood appears. Reasoning: blood creates a bloodborne pathogen risk, so stopping and gloving comes first. Clean the nipper of visible debris, then sterilize it by autoclave if heat-stable. If it is not heat-stable, use an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with the correct contact time and discard single-use items. Document the incident.
Traps
Calling a spray sanitizer a sterilant, skipping the contact time, and assuming a UV cabinet disinfects porous tools are common errors. Disinfectant labels are product-specific, so read the label rather than relying on habit.