In order to better regulate health issues in nail, tanning, and hair salons, as well as tattoo and massage parlors and barbershops, the Board of Health proposed a new ordinance during its Sept. 25 meeting. Last year, Board of Health President Frank Mancuso put together a committee to look into doing local inspections on various personal hygiene services in town.
Mancuso brought up the issue after noticing some salons may not be taking adequate steps towards sterilization of equipment and other health-related precautions.
Mancuso said he first became concerned about nail salons when he went for a haircut and noticed how some of the instruments were being handled.
“I saw the people at the salon sticking their tools into a container for sterilization, but they only did it for a short time,” Mancuso said. “I knew that the solution wasn’t effective when done for such a short time, and that bothered me.”
As a result of this experience, the Board of Health has begun to look into possibly licensing hair and nail salons in Secaucus in order to provide a closer scrutiny and local instruction as to proper safety procedures.
Anthony Iacono, a member of the Board of Health, suggested that the town expand the ordinance to also include hair salons, many of which provide nail-grooming services.
“The problem is that although the state Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling does regulate some of these salons, they almost never inspect them unless they get a complaint,” said Health Officer Vincent Rivelli. “We can adopt a code for the town that will allow us to inspect them.”
According to state law, state-licensed shops must be property lighted and ventilated, have an adequate supply of potable water, and dispose of waste in a matter that does not pose a health risk.
“Since nail salons have waste that is considered the same as you would have in a hospital, it must be disposed of in a similar manner,” Mancuso said. “I’m not sure salons are living up to that requirement.”
State law also requires that “All tools, implements and electrical appliances used with a licensed shop … Be maintained in a sanitary and safe matter. Tools and utensils applied directly to patrons shall be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after each and every use.”
Because the state health officials generally only inspect after a complaint is made, Mancuso said board members thought to set up local inspections to make sure nail salons and hair cutters comply with the law.
During the caucus session of the Town Council on Sept. 26, Mancuso and Rivelli presented the proposed ordinance to the council to keep the governing body informed and to get suggestions that mayor and council might have to make the ordinance better.
The proposed ordinance, which health officials hope to have in place by Jan. 1, would set tighter rules for a variety of services that include barbershops, nail, hair and tanning salons, and tattoo and massage parlors.
The ordinance as proposed defines each in legal terms as to what services they provide and sets a local licensing procedure that would require each shop to pay a fee and obtain an inspection before opening for business. “Over the first three months, each business that currently exists in town would have to come in and obtain a license,” Mancuso said. “We don’t propose to deny anyone unless they have gross violations.”
The ordinance would establish a fee of $20, and a $40 re-inspection fee if the establishment fails its initial inspection.
The ordinance would also:
•Require each establishment to give the Board of Health a list of suppliers. This would allow the health inspector to determine if the materials are being used in the property sanitary and hygienic manner.
•Require each establishment to have hot and cold running water available at the service location.
•Ban the washing of linen or use such materials to cover more than one patron. Mancuso said traditional washing does not get hot enough to sterilize these items. The ordinance does not ban paper coverings that would be disposed after each patron’s use.
•Require that the store be separated from living quarters. A residential area must be separated from the store by a permanent partition extending from the ceiling to the floor and the door between the store and residence must be closed during operations.
•Require each store to post its hours of operations.
Although the Board of Health also sought to possibly set hours of operation, several members of the town council suggested that the matter be reexamined. Although the Board of Health was concerned about disturbances in residential neighborhoods made by patrons early in the morning or late at night, several councilmen said many people need the services of such places earlier and later in the day because work schedules prohibit them from attending during the middle of the day.
The ordinance also set fines for violations: $25 for first offense, $50 for the second, and $100 for the third. Any establishment issued a summons for a third offense would also be required to appear before the Board of Health. Mayor Dennis Elwell said the ordinance would be reviewed by the town attorney.