Sanitation, Disinfection, and Infection Control
Sanitation, Disinfection, and Infection Control
This domain tests universal precautions and Louisiana salon sanitation rules as they apply to combs, brushes, blocks, clips, scissors, and client contact.
Core rules
- Clean first, then disinfect. Debris and product residue defeat disinfectant contact.
- Use an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant mixed and used at the label dilution and contact time; "sanitize" is not "disinfect."
- Immersion is required for nonporous implements that can be submerged. UV cabinets are storage, not a substitute for chemical disinfection.
- Single-use items-razors, blades, nail files, wooden sticks, disposable towels-are discarded, not reused.
- Wash hands before and after each client; wear gloves for blood, body fluids, and broken skin.
- Do not service a client with an active fungal, bacterial, or parasitic infestation (ringworm, lice, impetigo) or open scalp lesions; refer.
- Store clean and soiled implements separately; keep SDS available.
Worked example
A comb contacts a bleeding nick. Reasoning: stop, glove, remove visible debris with a disposable towel, wash the comb with soap and water, dry, immerse fully in the EPA disinfectant for the label contact time, then store in the clean area. The towel and blade are discarded; the station is cleaned; the incident is documented per salon policy.
Traps
Relying on a quick spray; skipping the contact time; disinfecting a wig with the same chemical as a comb; returning a dropped comb to the station without processing; wearing gloves as a handwashing substitute.