The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and several State OSHA programs are investigating questions and complaints from hair salon owners and workers about possible formaldehyde exposure from hair smoothing products. Some of these products have been labeled as "formaldehyde-free." Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration [36 KB PDF, 2 pages], California's Occupational Safety and Health Administration [34 KB PDF, 2 pages], the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and several other state agencies have already issued warnings about these products to salon owners, stylists, other salon workers, and clients. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has also completed a Health Hazard Evaluation [150 KB PDF, 11 pages] for salon workers that assessed risks posed from using a specific hair smoothing product in a single salon. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to the importer and distributor of Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution (GIB LLC dba Brazilian Blowout) identifying this product as adulterated and misbranded because it contains methylene glycol, which can release formaldehyde during the normal conditions of use, and because the label makes misleading statements ("Formaldehyde Free" or "No Formaldehyde"). This Hazard Alert provides updated information about OSHA's investigations, the health hazards of formaldehyde, and how to protect workers using hair smoothing products that contain or release formaldehyde.
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