🚧 Under construction — VoTechWorks is being built. A free tech program — complimentary, as our commitment to get America working.
voTechWorksGrade 13 · a vocational technology learning center, by urbanicity
newSchoolWorks.com › VoTechWorks › Health & Personal Services › Cosmetology › Infection Control and Sanitation for Cosmetology › Lesson 5
HLT-COSM32-05 · Lesson 5 · 11 clock hours · theory

Safety Data Sheets and Chemical Safety in the Salon

Objective. Students will locate and interpret all 16 sections of an SDS for salon chemicals and select the correct PPE and storage conditions for each chemical class.

⚠ Pending professional review

This lesson, its worked examples and its practice questions has not yet been verified by a licensed clinician in the field or by a certification or approval body. It is a study draft and may contain errors. Do not use it to make decisions about any patient or medication. Always follow your instructor, your supervising professional, and current official references and regulations.

VoTechWorks program approval and accreditation are still in progress. Credentials are issued only by the certifying bodies named in each program, after their own exams.

Why Chemical Safety Matters in the Salon

Cosmetology professionals work with a wide range of chemicals every day—developers, relaxers, acrylic monomers, disinfectants, bleach powders, and cuticle removers, among others. These products can cause skin burns, eye damage, respiratory irritation, allergic reactions, and fire hazards if handled carelessly. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom), sometimes called the "Right-to-Know" standard, requires that every hazardous chemical used in a workplace be accompanied by a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Understanding and using the SDS is not optional—it is a legal and professional obligation.

What Is a Safety Data Sheet?

A Safety Data Sheet is a standardized document that a chemical manufacturer or importer must provide for every hazardous product. The current OSHA-aligned format, based on the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), organizes every SDS into exactly 16 numbered sections in a fixed order. This consistency means you can find the same type of information in the same place on every SDS, regardless of the brand.

The 16 Sections at a Glance

Section 1 – Identification: Product name, manufacturer name, address, emergency phone number, and the intended use of the product.

Section 2 – Hazard(s) Identification: GHS hazard classifications, signal words ("Danger" or "Warning"), hazard statements, and pictograms. This is one of the first sections you read in an emergency.

Section 3 – Composition/Information on Ingredients: Lists the chemical ingredients, including any hazardous components and their concentration ranges. Trade secret exemptions may apply, but the hazard must still be disclosed.

Section 4 – First-Aid Measures: Describes what to do if someone is exposed by inhalation, skin contact, eye contact, or ingestion. Includes notes on symptoms and whether immediate medical attention is needed.

Section 5 – Fire-Fighting Measures: Lists suitable extinguishing agents, products of combustion, and special protective equipment for firefighters.

Section 6 – Accidental Release Measures: Steps for containing and cleaning up spills safely, including required PPE during cleanup and proper disposal guidance.

Section 7 – Handling and Storage: Safe handling practices—ventilation requirements, incompatible materials (for example, oxidizers must not be stored near flammables), temperature limits, and container requirements. This section directly guides how you organize your back bar.

Section 8 – Exposure Controls/Personal Protective Equipment: Lists permissible exposure limits (if established), recommended engineering controls (such as ventilation), and the specific PPE required—gloves, eye protection, respirator type, and protective clothing.

Section 9 – Physical and Chemical Properties: Appearance, odor, pH, flash point, boiling point, and other physical characteristics useful for identifying a product or detecting a leak.

Section 10 – Stability and Reactivity: Conditions to avoid (heat, light, moisture), materials the chemical is incompatible with, and hazardous decomposition products.

Section 11 – Toxicological Information: Routes of exposure, symptoms of acute and chronic exposure, and any carcinogenicity or reproductive hazard data.

Section 12 – Ecological Information: Environmental impact—aquatic toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation. Important for proper disposal.

Section 13 – Disposal Considerations: How to safely dispose of the chemical and its container, including any regulatory requirements.

Section 14 – Transport Information: Shipping classification (UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class) relevant when products are shipped.

Section 15 – Regulatory Information: Lists applicable safety, health, and environmental regulations beyond OSHA HazCom (such as EPA requirements).

Section 16 – Other Information: Date of the most recent SDS revision and any other information the manufacturer chooses to include.

Selecting the Correct PPE

Section 8 tells you exactly which PPE to use. However, the type of PPE varies significantly by chemical class:

Never substitute latex gloves when the SDS specifies nitrile or vinyl—latex provides inadequate chemical resistance for many salon chemicals and poses an allergy risk.

Safe Chemical Storage

Section 7 (Handling and Storage) and Section 10 (Stability and Reactivity) govern storage decisions. Key rules for the salon:

1. Separate oxidizers from flammables. Hydrogen peroxide developers are oxidizers; storing them next to acetone or other flammables creates a fire and explosion hazard.

2. Keep chemicals away from food and beverages. Ingestion hazards are real, and cross-contamination must be prevented.

3. Label every container. Secondary containers (spray bottles, dispensing containers) must be labeled with the product name and hazard information.

4. Store in original or approved containers at the temperature and away from light conditions specified in Section 7.

5. Ensure ventilation in storage areas to prevent vapor buildup.

Your Responsibility as a Licensed Professional

State cosmetology boards and OSHA both require salons to maintain SDS files that are accessible to all employees at all times. As a future license holder, you are responsible for reading SDS documents before using any new product, training junior staff, and reporting chemical hazards. Ignoring these requirements puts clients, coworkers, and yourself at legal and physical risk.

Key terms9

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)A standardized 16-section document required by OSHA's HazCom standard that provides detailed hazard, handling, PPE, and emergency information for a hazardous chemical product.
Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom)The OSHA regulation requiring chemical manufacturers and employers to communicate chemical hazards to workers through labels and Safety Data Sheets.
Globally Harmonized System (GHS)An international framework for classifying and communicating chemical hazards using standardized pictograms, signal words, and hazard statements adopted by OSHA for the SDS format.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Protective gear—such as gloves, eye protection, masks, and aprons—worn to minimize exposure to chemical hazards; specific requirements are listed in Section 8 of the SDS.
OxidizerA chemical that can release oxygen and accelerate combustion in other materials; hydrogen peroxide developer is a common salon oxidizer that must be stored away from flammables.
Signal WordA GHS term on a label or SDS Section 2 that indicates the severity of a hazard: 'Danger' indicates more severe hazards, while 'Warning' indicates less severe hazards.
Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)The maximum airborne concentration of a hazardous substance to which a worker may be exposed, as established by OSHA; listed in SDS Section 8 when applicable.
Secondary ContainerAny container other than the original manufacturer's packaging into which a chemical is transferred; must be labeled with the product name and relevant hazard information.
Incompatible MaterialsSubstances that react dangerously when combined or stored together, identified in SDS Section 10; for example, oxidizers and flammables must be kept separate.
In class: Instructor-led walkthrough of a complete SDS for a common salon chemical (e.g., hydrogen peroxide developer): students annotate a blank 16-section SDS framework with the information found in each section · PPE matching activity: students match six salon chemicals (relaxer, acrylic monomer, disinfectant concentrate, cuticle remover, bleach powder, developer) to required PPE from a supplied set of pictograms and manufacturer guidance · Chemical storage layout exercise: given a floor plan of a salon back bar, students identify and correct five violations (e.g., food near chemicals, oxidizers near flammables, unlabeled containers) using SDS storage guidance
Materials: Printed SDS for at least four common salon products, blank 16-section SDS annotation worksheet, PPE pictogram cards, salon floor-plan handout, OSHA HazCom standard summary
Check: Students must correctly complete SDS annotation with at least 14 of 16 sections accurately interpreted; PPE matching scored at 5 of 6 correct; storage exercise must identify all five violations; instructor initials student work before lab sessions

Practice check8

Answer each question, then check it. Nothing is recorded; this is your own practice.

Infection Control and Safety
1. In which section of a GHS-formatted SDS would you find the specific type of gloves and eye protection required when mixing a hydrogen peroxide developer?
Infection Control and Safety
2. A cosmetology student transfers a disinfectant concentrate into a plain spray bottle without adding any label. Which regulation does this violate?
Infection Control and Safety
3. Which SDS section should a salon manager consult first to determine whether hydrogen peroxide developer can be stored on the same shelf as acetone-based nail polish remover?
Infection Control and Safety
4. A client has a skin reaction after a relaxer service. The SDS for the relaxer is consulted for first-aid guidance. In which section is this information found?
Infection Control and Safety
5. Persulfate-based bleach powder is classified as a respiratory sensitizer. Based on SDS Section 8 guidance, which PPE item is MOST specifically needed—beyond gloves and eye protection—during mixing?
Infection Control and Safety
6. A salon inspector finds food and beverages stored on the same shelf as chemical developers and disinfectants. Which SDS section most directly documents why this is a hazard?
Infection Control and Safety
7. A cosmetologist notices an unfamiliar product in the supply room with no SDS on file. What is the CORRECT first action?
Infection Control and Safety
8. When reviewing SDS Section 2 for an acrylic monomer, the signal word 'Danger' appears. What does this indicate compared to 'Warning'?
Record this lesson on my transcript. Sign in with your key and enrollment email to record lessons (enroll free if you have no key). This page stays open to read and practise.
← Previous lessonProgram planNext lesson →