Health, Safety, and Infection Control
Domain 5: Health, Safety, and Infection Control
This domain tests how to prevent transmission of pathogens and manage chemical and workplace hazards in a salon. Expect questions on cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, hand hygiene, PPE, blood exposure, SDS, ventilation, and safe work practices.
Core infection-control rules
- Clean first: remove visible debris with soap/detergent and water before any disinfectant. Disinfectants do not work on dirty surfaces.
- Sanitize reduces some microbes; disinfect kills most pathogens on nonporous surfaces; sterilization destroys all microbial life, including spores, and is used for critical items.
- Use an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant according to the label, including dilution and contact time. Quats, phenols, and bleach have different spectra and compatibility; never mix chemicals.
- Nonporous implements can be cleaned and disinfected; porous items (some files, buffers, towels) are single-use or laundered. Blood-contaminated waste goes in a biohazard bag; sharps go in a sharps container.
- Standard precautions treat all blood and body fluids as infectious. Wear gloves for blood exposure, wash hands before/after, and follow exposure-incident reporting.
Chemical and workplace safety
Keep SDS for products, label secondary containers, and ensure ventilation. Do not eat or drink in service areas. Use PPE for mixing and application. Prevent musculoskeletal injury with adjustable equipment and neutral posture.
Worked example
A razor nicks a client and blood contacts the floor. Reasoning: blood is potentially infectious. Put on gloves, contain the area, remove visible material with absorbent disposable towels, clean with detergent and water, then disinfect with an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with the appropriate claim and contact time. Place contaminated waste in a biohazard bag, remove gloves, wash hands, and document the incident. Do not use a spray-and-wipe alone on visible blood.
Traps
Do not skip cleaning before disinfection. Do not shorten contact time. Do not use one disinfectant for every situation without checking the label. Do not treat disinfection as sterilization. Do not store food with chemicals.