Oregon Health and Safety Rules
Infection control is the heart of Oregon's health and safety code and a major focus of salon inspections. This chapter covers how tools, surfaces, and services must be handled to protect clients from the spread of disease.
Cleaning, Disinfection, and Single-Use Items
Oregon rules distinguish between cleaning, which removes visible debris, and disinfection, which kills pathogens using an EPA-registered disinfectant labeled for salon use. Nonporous, reusable implements such as metal shears and nippers must be cleaned and then disinfected before each new client, while porous single-use items such as files, wooden sticks, and wax applicators must be discarded after one use because they cannot be reliably disinfected. Rinsing, wiping, or airing tools is not disinfection. Following this cleaning-then-disinfection sequence between every client is a core inspection standard.
Blood Exposure and Standard Precautions
Because blood and body fluids can transmit disease, Oregon requires standard precautions whenever a client is cut or bleeds. The correct response is to stop the service, put on gloves, care for and cover the wound, then clean and disinfect any surfaces or reusable tools that contacted blood and discard contaminated single-use items. Shared towels and ignoring small injuries both create real infection risk. Treating every client's blood as potentially infectious keeps both the client and the practitioner safe.
Foot Spas, Basins, and Facility Sanitation
Foot spas and whirlpool basins trap skin, oils, and debris in warm water where bacteria that cause skin infections can multiply, so Oregon rules require cleaning and disinfecting the basin, jets, and filters after every client, with periodic deeper disinfection. Work surfaces, linens, and product containers must also be kept clean, and clean supplies must be stored separately from used ones. These are public-health requirements, not cosmetic preferences, and lapses have caused documented outbreaks. Consistent facility sanitation is what makes professional services safe.
State-specific details
State exam facts
- State regulator
- Oregon Health Licensing Office (OHA) — Board of Cosmetology
- Exam vendor
- Oregon Health Licensing Office (state-administered)
- Prelicensing education
- Hair Design: 1,110 curriculum hours plus 455 practical operations, plus 20 hours Oregon Laws & Rules and 20 hours Career Development
- Time limit
- 90 minutes
How many training hours does Oregon require for a cosmetology (hair design) license?
Oregon certifies by field of practice; the cosmetology analog is 'Hair Design,' requiring 1,110 curriculum hours plus 455 practical operations, along with 20 hours of Oregon Laws & Rules and 20 hours of Career Development. There is no single 'cosmetologist' license.
Who licenses cosmetologists in Oregon?
The Health Licensing Office (HLO), within the Oregon Health Authority, licenses the practice through its Board of Cosmetology. Written exams are taken on a walk-in basis at the HLO office in Salem.
Does Oregon still require a practical exam?
Yes. Oregon requires a board-approved practical exam (valid for 5 years) in addition to the written exam, which has a 90-minute limit per test.
Sources: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/hlo/pages/board-cosmetology-hair-design-license.aspx
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