WORK SAFETY: Federal OSHA Cites Florida Manufacturers and Distributors for Health Violations

September 8, 2011

Atlanta, Georgia— The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited two Florida manufacturers and two Florida-based distributors of hair products containing formaldehyde, a statement from its website said.

According to the statement, the manufacturers were charged for 16 health violations involving alleged failures to protect their employees from possible formaldehyde exposure and to communicate with the products' users, such as salons and stylists, about the hazards of formaldehyde exposure. The proposed penalties for the companies approximately amount to $49,200.

OSHA's inspections were initiated based on a referral by Oregon's Occupational Safety and Health Division, which tested more than 100 product samples at 50 salons using hair smoothing or straightening products. Some products causing formaldehyde exposure were traced back to the Florida manufacturers and distributors. Formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and nose, and cause coughing and wheezing. It is a sensitizer, which means that it can cause allergic reactions of the lungs, skin and eyes, such as asthma, rashes and itching. It also has been linked to cancer.