Toward Improvement of Occupational Health and Safety in Nail Salons: Customer Perspectives

Nail technicians face various hazards in their work environment, influenced by complex factors, involving not only nail technicians and owners but also customers. While significant research has focused on technicians' health and safety views, customers' perspectives remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by assessing changes in customer attendance since COVID-19 and describing their perceptions of nail salon health and safety. Using an online survey, we analyzed responses from 428 participants. Over 50% of participants reported a change in their nail salon attendance since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic; 32% reported visiting more frequently, while 22% visited less often. Most customers expressed satisfaction with salon cleanliness (93%) and air quality (86%). Approximately half had no strong preference for technician glove (46%) or mask use (53%). In addition, 80% were unaware of products marketed as having fewer chemicals. Raising awareness among customers toward the vital of health and safety in nail salons-such as the benefits of technicians' glove and mask use, as well as the merits of safer product use-can protect both customers and nail technicians. This study suggests that customers may be important partners in enhancing workplace health and safety. Future research should explore customers' expectations regarding health and safety and their preferences for safer products, providing valuable insights for advocates and policymakers to effectively tailor educational programs/public health campaign for customers and improve health and safety standards in the beauty industry.