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Infection Control & Safety
101 questionsDisinfectant solution must be changed at least daily and immediately whenever it becomes visibly soiled, cloudy, or contaminated with debris.
16 CCR §979Tools must be pre-cleaned of all hair, debris, and product before disinfection. Disinfectant cannot penetrate dirt, so a dirty tool will not be disinfected even if it sits in the solution for the full contact time.
16 CCR §979Clean tools must be kept in a clean, dry, covered container or drawer reserved for disinfected items, separate from soiled tools, food, personal items, and chemicals.
16 CCR §979Disinfection is the chemical destruction of bacteria, fungi, and viruses on a hard, non-porous surface. Sanitization is mechanical cleaning; sterilization kills all microbial life and is not required in salons.
16 CCR §979After every client, the spa must be drained, the filter and screen cleaned of debris, the bowl scrubbed with soap and water, then refilled with EPA-registered disinfectant and circulated for the time on the label (commonly 10 minutes minimum).
16 CCR §979California requires a complete disinfectant cycle through the foot spa at least once per week, in addition to cleaning between every client and end-of-day cleaning.
16 CCR §979Wooden orange wood sticks are porous and absorb fluids; they are single-use items and must be discarded after one client. Stainless steel and hard plastic implements are non-porous and may be disinfected for reuse.
16 CCR §979Strong odor, missing label, and very low price are classic red flags for illegal methyl methacrylate (MMA) being sold as a substitute for ethyl methacrylate (EMA). California prohibits MMA on natural nails.
BPC §7315A wet sanitizer is a covered, labeled container deep enough for tools to be completely submerged in EPA-registered disinfectant. The solution is changed daily and whenever soiled.
16 CCR §979California requires a clean neck strip or towel between the client's skin and any cape. The barrier prevents the cape itself from touching new bare skin.
16 CCR §979Under Cal/OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, blood-contaminated materials must be disposed of in a sealed bag or biohazard container per the salon's exposure control plan.
8 CCR §5193Used blades must go into a puncture-resistant sharps container after the service to protect workers and waste handlers from accidental cuts and bloodborne pathogen exposure.
16 CCR §979Non-disposable straight razors may be used on multiple clients only if disinfected between clients with an EPA-registered tuberculocidal hospital-grade disinfectant on a hard non-porous surface.
16 CCR §979Used linens go directly into a closed, labeled hamper that is kept separate from clean linens until they are laundered with detergent in hot water and fully dried.
16 CCR §979Cosmetics shared from a bulk container must be dispensed onto a single-use palette or with a clean disposable spatula. Direct re-contact with the bulk product is prohibited.
16 CCR §979Disinfectant solution that is visibly soiled, cloudy, or contains debris must be discarded immediately. The wet sanitizer is cleaned and refilled with a fresh, properly diluted batch.
16 CCR §979A buffer block with a foam (porous) core cannot be properly disinfected and is single-use. Metal pushers, glass spatulas, and nylon brushes are non-porous and may be disinfected for reuse.
16 CCR §979Hand washing with soap and warm running water before every service is required. Personal grooming and eating at the workstation are not permitted.
16 CCR §979Alcohol-based hand sanitizer can supplement hand washing when hands are not visibly soiled, but it does NOT replace soap-and-water washing, especially when hands are visibly dirty or after a bloodborne exposure.
16 CCR §979Under the Hazard Communication Standard (8 CCR §5194), employers must keep a Safety Data Sheet on file for EVERY chemical product used in the workplace, and workers must be able to access it during their shift.
8 CCR §5194Re-dipping a used wax applicator into the bulk wax transfers organisms from the client back to the product, contaminating it. The other choices are normal, hygienic practices.
16 CCR §979MMA's extreme bonding strength can cause the natural nail plate to crack, peel, or be torn off if the enhancement catches on something. The dust is a respiratory and skin sensitizer. These hazards led California to prohibit it.
BPC §7315Disposable neck strips are single-use and must be discarded after each service. The razor handle, clipper guard, and steel comb are non-porous multi-use items that are disinfected.
16 CCR §979The EPA registration number identifies a product that has been registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the antimicrobial claims on its label.
16 CCR §979Disinfectant must be mixed to the label dilution. Under-diluted solution does not kill pathogens effectively; over-concentrated solution can corrode metal, damage tools, and irritate skin.
16 CCR §979California regulation requires the licensee to refuse service when a contagious condition (such as head lice) is present, and refer the client to a physician or pharmacist for treatment.
16 CCR §979Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a leading bloodborne pathogen concern in salons because it can survive on dried surfaces for days, making thorough disinfection of tools that have contacted blood essential.
16 CCR §979A tool that drops to the floor is considered soiled. It must be set aside for cleaning and disinfection, and a clean disinfected replacement used to finish the service.
16 CCR §979Cal/OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard treats blood (and any other potentially infectious material visibly contaminated with blood) as biohazardous. Sweat and tears alone are not considered bloodborne risks.
8 CCR §5193Between every client a manicurist must wash hands, sanitize the workstation surface, disinfect any multi-use tools used, discard and replace single-use items, and set a clean towel. There are no shortcuts.
16 CCR §979Eating, drinking, and smoking are prohibited at the workstation while serving clients. The licensee's personal habits are part of the infection-control standard.
16 CCR §979A stainless steel cuticle nipper is hard, non-porous, and can be fully immersed and disinfected. The other three are porous single-use items.
16 CCR §979Styptic must never contact broken skin directly from its bulk container. Dispense a small amount onto a clean cotton ball or single-use applicator and apply with the applicator.
16 CCR §979Implements that have contacted blood must be pre-cleaned and disinfected with an EPA-registered tuberculocidal disinfectant for the full label contact time before reuse. Metal nippers are reusable when properly disinfected, not discarded.
16 CCR §979Hands must be washed with soap and warm running water before every service. Wearing gloves does not eliminate the need to wash hands.
16 CCR §979Emery boards are porous single-use items. They must be discarded after one client. Porous items cannot be disinfected effectively.
16 CCR §979Filing acrylics aerosolizes dust and chemical particles. Best practice is a properly fitted mask plus local exhaust ventilation to remove vapors and dust from the breathing zone.
16 CCR §979Salons must keep a written cleaning and disinfection log for whirlpool foot spas. The log must be available to the BBC inspector upon request.
16 CCR §979Tools must be fully submerged so that every surface contacts the disinfectant for the full contact time. Partial submersion does not disinfect the exposed portion.
16 CCR §979A pumice stone is porous and absorbs skin debris and microorganisms, making proper disinfection impossible. It must be treated as single-use. Stainless steel files, glass files, and metal pushers are non-porous.
16 CCR §979Active herpes simplex (cold sores) is contagious and is on the list of conditions for which service should be refused (or limited to non-affected areas). The client should be referred to a physician.
16 CCR §979The wet sanitizer is a covered container; the lid must be kept on except when tools are being placed in or removed. This prevents contamination of the disinfectant solution.
16 CCR §979End-of-day duties include draining used disinfectant, cleaning jars and basins, discarding used single-use items, and laundering soiled linens. Sterilization is not required, and refrigerating wax is not a regulatory rule.
16 CCR §979Bulk products must be dispensed with a clean disposable spatula or onto a single-use palette. Direct contact between the bulk container or its lid and the client is prohibited.
16 CCR §979The garment worn over street clothes must be clean at the start of each work day to limit cross-contamination from one day to the next.
16 CCR §979A porous buffer block is single-use: use on one client, then discard. The foam core cannot be properly disinfected.
16 CCR §979Chemicals must remain in their original, labeled containers, stored away from heat. Transferring chemicals to unlabeled bottles is prohibited under hazard communication rules.
8 CCR §5194Clean tools must not be mixed with used towels or other soiled items. They must be stored in clean, covered, labeled containers reserved for disinfected items.
16 CCR §979An unlabeled liquid monomer with a 'great deal' price is a serious red flag for prohibited MMA. The technician should refuse the product. Use of MMA on natural nails is a violation of BPC §7315.
16 CCR §979Disinfectant cannot work through organic soil. Tools must be pre-cleaned of debris and oils so the disinfectant can directly contact the surface for the full contact time.
16 CCR §979