Hygienic assessment of working conditions and health risk factors of cosmetologists

The profession of a cosmetologist, which every third resident of the country turns to, is one of the most in demand at the present time. There are no publications on the working conditions of cosmetologists. The study aims to substantiate the professional risk factors for the health of cosmetologists. The authors conducted the study on the bases of three cosmetology clinics in Volgograd. The researchers carried out measurements and assessments of working environment factors in accordance with the requirements of current regulatory documents. It is shown that the parameters of the microclimate, illumination, and intensity of laser radiation corresponded to hygienic standards. The content of fine particles of PM10 and PM2.5 in the air of the cosmetologist's working area exceeded the maximum permissible concentrations by 6–11 times. A number of substances (ammonia, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, ethanoic acid, and others) have a pronounced odor and cause numerous complaints from cosmetologists. Excess of the normalized maximum single concentration was noted for sulfur dioxide, ethanoic acid, ozone and methanethiol. The total microbial contamination at the end of the working day exceeded the normalized value. Experts found a significant number of staphylococci (444 CFU/m3), including those with lecithinase activity, as well as fungi (320 CFU/m3). The production risk factors for the health of cosmetologists are chemical and biological factors. The content of harmful chemical substances and pathogenic microorganisms in the air of the working area of doctors of this specialty exceeded hygienic standards (class of working conditions — 3.2), which necessitates preventive measures. It is necessary to continue studying the "intrusive odor" factor, which causes numerous complaints from cosmetologists, as well as determining the microbial contamination of the air in the work area by the level of actual contamination by microorganisms.