Salons are in the industry of beauty and health, but that doesn’t make them safe. Hundreds of people sustain injuries from negligent salon practices every year, some leading to permanent scarring and life-threatening injuries.

Millions of people visit nail salons and beauty bars in the summer to freshen up for the beach. Before you make your appointments this season, know the common salon injuries and the risks of visiting establishments who may not be up to code with safety.

What Causes Salon Industries

Hair, nail, and beauty salons are all obligated to keep their clients safe from harm. Yet, despite the federal health and safety regulations salons must follow to stay in operation, many establishments still rank profit over their clients.

Salons pose a significant risk to their clients when:

There is no such thing as a minor injury when it comes to salons. Even a small cut can lead to infections if bacteria from unsanitary facilities enters a wound.

Manicures and pedicures, laser hair removal, body waxing, and indoor tanning are four of the most sought after summer beauty services that could cause injuries. Each one poses unique risks Connecticut residents should be aware of before taking a seat.

Nail Salons

Manicures and pedicures are summer staples for beachgoers that could be putting them at risk. According to an article by U.S. News, 75 percent of nail salons across the country do not follow proper safety protocols for disinfecting. Nail technicians who use unsanitary tools pose the risk of spreading fungal and bacterial infections that could be life-threatening if entering the bloodstream. Nail salons are also infamous for hiring technicians who are poorly trained, putting clients at risk of cuts, chemical burns, and health issues from unnecessary exposure to toxins.

Laser Hair Removal

Both women and men seek out laser hair removal in the summer. Laser hair services promise permanent hair reduction with the use of a powerful tool that must be operated by a certified esthetician. When untrained or incompetent employees perform laser hair removal, clients can experience many unfortunate side effects such as burns, painful blisters, scars, skin infections, or even eye injuries. What makes matters worse, laser hair removal is expensive, causing clients to shell out tons of money for the service and additional medical care if injured.

Body Waxing

A cheaper alternative to laser hair removal is body waxing, which can easily be offered at any salon- sanitary or not. According to an article by Life, salons who do not use safe waxing practices have been known for ‘double dipping’ in communal pots, improperly pulling wax strips, overheating wax, and neglecting to wipe down surfaces between clients. Infections, scarring, burns, and other skin trauma can all result from waxing gone wrong, leaving you less likely to want to put a bathing suit on any time soon.

Indoor Tanning

Before the summer sun arrives, many beachgoers ‘prep’ their tan by using dangerous indoor tanning beds. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, there is no such thing as a safe tanning bed. Every year, people are treated in emergency rooms across the country for burns, loss of consciousness, and eye injuries from tanning beds. Tanning beds can also put clients at an increased risk of skin cancer before the summer season even begins.

Do Your Research

You don’t have to forgo all your beauty treatments this summer if you know how to spot an unsafe salon. Before you make any more appointments, here’s what you should be looking for :

Connecticut Safety Advocates and Personal Injury Attorneys

At the law firm of Jacobs & Wallace, we have been advocating for the health and safety of Connecticut residents for over 40 years. If you or a loved has sustained an unnecessary injury due to negligence, contact us for a free consultation to review your case and your rights today.

In the last decade, Connecticut has seen an influx of Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC) providing same-day care at lower costs. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make these facilities safe. New research continues to show that lack of reporting and oversight at ASC’s is putting the health and safety of patients at serious risk, even during some of the most routine and minor procedures.

What Makes ASC’s Dangerous

In 2018, an investigation by the USA Today Network and Kaiser Health News revealed a shocking finding regarding surgical centers nationwide- they are not reporting their deaths! The investigation found that surgical centers across the country are either withholding information on patient fatalities or not mandated to report it depending on the state. These gaps allow ASC’s to continue operating even when issued the most stringent federal sanctions and to go practically unpunished for making preventable fatal medical errors.

Since 2013, investigators found that more than 260 patients have died due to complications after same-day surgeries performed at ASC’s. At least 14 of these patients were undergoing spinal surgeries, while dozens of others were undergoing minor procedures with low mortality rates.  Out of the 260 fatalities, at least 10 percent of the patients died within 24 hours of being released. Because these cases were poorly recorded, it’s difficult to say whether or not these patients could have been saved if they had been treated in a hospital environment.

According to the experts in the USA Today and Kaiser Health investigation, these are the areas where surgical centers pose the most risk for patients:

Possibly the most concerning part of the USA Today and Kaiser investigation was the difficulty it took to find information on patient deaths and medical errors. Between coverups, lack of adequate record keeping, and the 17 states who are not required to report their patient’s deaths, it took a national team to find statical information that should be open and readily available to the public at all times.

Why Patients Take The Risk

In 2014, at least 50 percent of outpatient surgeries were performed at ASC’s. With healthcare costs continuing to rise, the numbers have only grown since.  According to Carrum Health, here are some reasons for why patients might choose a surgical center over a hospital for their procedure:

Most of the reasons why patients seek services from ASC’s have to do with convenience and money. The promise of a ‘quicker’ and ‘cheaper’ surgery is enough to get the majority of patients on board, especially when their jobs and financial stability are on the line.

When it comes to deciding between a hospital and a surgical center, patients must understand that ASC’s do not have the same resources as hospitals: they are not inspected as often to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, they are not equipped with various specialists when something goes wrong, and they do not provide the same emergency services you would receive in a hospital. If emergency arises during a procedure, ASC’s are forced to transfer patients via ambulance to the nearest hospital, during which time a patient could die from causes that would otherwise have been prevented if addressed immediately.

Most At Risk Groups For ASC

Some minor surgeries and procedures may be completely safe when performed at ASC’s while others are not a good match. If you fit any of the following criteria, a hospital may be the safer option for your surgery:

Patients meeting any of the above criteria are at a higher risk of complications that can lead to the need for emergency measures during surgery. You want the best medical staff available in these cases, which surgical centers are not prepared to provide.

What To Ask Before Your Procedure

If you are still considering an outpatient center for your surgery, don’t schedule any procedures without doing your research. Not only should you be looking into your doctor and the ASC they are affiliated with, taking the extra time to ask these questions could help you decide the best course of action for your treatment:

Connecticut Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Surgical centers have a responsibility to keep their patients safe and to screen individuals for risk factors that could make them poor candidates for outpatient surgery. If you or a loved has been injured due to the medical negligence of an ASC, you may be eligible to receive compensation for any damages suffered. Contact our expert team of medical malpractice attorneys at Jacobs & Wallace for a free consultation to explore your options.

Workplace accidents do not always occur because of negligence. Sometimes employers have the best intentions of keeping their employees safe on the job but just aren’t aware of the best ways to go about it.

According to an article released in February by Small Business Trends, worksite safety is one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to productivity planning on the job. Occupations in the construction trade, manufacturing, and steel work industries are already at an elevated risk for accidents and injuries based on the dangerous nature of their work. With little room for errors, oversight in safety policies can lead to catastrophic work accidents that result in unnecessary and preventable fatalities.

In 2017, more than 5,147 workers were killed on the job. To stay at the forefront of safety in any workplace, employers much educate themselves on all hazards that can pose risks to their employee’s safety in their industry. These are the ‘8 Overlooked Work Site Safety Practices’ that often cause unnecessary occupational injuries and accidents:

Awareness

Accidents are bound to occur when employees are not aware of the hazards they face in their position or how to react to them. It’s essential for all workers to be mindful of their surroundings to help keep them safe. Managers and employers are responsible for adequately training employees upon hire regarding the safety and health risks they can be exposed to on the worksite. Consistent review of old and new safety policies can also be useful in helping employees prevent injuries and accidents.

Stress Management

Stress on all levels can have a significant impact on an employee’s health, safety, and productivity at work. Managers should have a policy and process available for employees to report their work-related stressors to help reduce stress-related safety oversights on the job. Knowing the signs of stress and when to step in is another effective way managers can overcome these types of accidents.

Effective Communication

A worksite cannot be safe if employees and employers are not properly communicating. Workers experiencing communication barriers are more likely to make vital mistakes that can put themselves, their co-workers, and the public at risk. Employers should establish an open and frequent line of communication with their workers daily. Providing communication devices such as cell phones and walkie talkies to be used when managers are not onsite can also help increase communication to keep the job site flowing smoothly.

Physical Fitness

Workers who are suffering from illnesses, diseases, or injuries on the job can cause harm to themselves and others if their abilities are not up to par. Managers should keep a close eye on the physical state of their workers to ensure they are not putting anyone in harm’s way. Providing medical benefits and personal time for employees can help reduce their financial need to work through their health conditions, allowing them appropriate time to recover safely. Monitoring seasonal health habits at work, such as water intake on hot days, can also help reduce the number of physical health problems experienced while on the job.

Mishandling Volatile Materials

Hazardous materials on worksites can cause horrible injuries and illnesses if employees are unaware of how to handle them appropriately. When working with unsafe materials, employees should always wear PPE and know how to interpret the different warning labels on the products to understand what threats the material can pose to them. In the case of an accident, it’s crucial for all worksites to develop a HAZMAT program to teach employees what to do in the case of an emergency.

Minimizing Worksite Distractions

It only takes looking away for a second to cause a serious or even fatal work injury. Distractions are one of the leading causes of occupational injuries, and most of them are entirely preventable. Employees should never use electronic devices (cellphones, tablets, smartwatches, or GPS’s) while actively performing job tasks. Employers must make strict electronic policies to keep everyone on the worksite safe and held accountable for unnecessary distractions.

Innovation

Without modern day technology, accidents in most industries would skyrocket. Employers can help increase safety on their worksites by keeping up with the newest technologies geared towards reducing errors on the job. If all worksites were committed to improving safety with the tools available to them, construction and other trade industries may one day become 100 percent accident-free!

Maintaining Transparency

Covering up occupational accidents and injuries is never a good idea. These types of sneaky behaviors cannot only lead to more accidents but can also cause people to see a firm or contractor as unsafe and untrustworthy. Maintaining transparency with safety organizations, the public, the press, and with employees will reduce the number of similar accidents from occurring in the future and contribute to the growing need for more modern safety technologies to help keep workers safe.

For more information on how to make your worksite safety, visit our team.

Connecticut Personal Injury Attorneys

Workers in Connecticut have the right to work under safe and protected working conditions, even in the most dangerous industries. If you or a loved one has been injured on the job due to unsafe or negligence working conditions, Jacobs & Wallace is here to fight for your rights. Contact us today for a free consultation to review your case and your options for seeking justice.

March Is Workplace Eye Safety Month!

Regardless of what industry you work in, every job poses eye hazards that can cause serious or even permanent injuries. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that around 2,000 American workers sustain an occupational eye injury every day and 90 percent of these accidents are entirely preventable.

March is Workplace Eye Safety Month and the perfect time to remind employers and employees about the importance of eye safety on the job. By spreading awareness of how eye injuries happen and what steps workers can take to prevent accidents, we can increase the likelihood of employees using approved and effective eye protection to help keep eyes safe.

Eye Accidents To Avoid

Eye injuries are not hard to come by with an endless number of hazards to avoid. Airborne particles can easily cause mild to severe irritation to the eyes, while objects forced directly into the eye can lead to traumatic injuries with the possibility of permanent vision loss.

The CDC lists these as the three most common accidents leading to eye injuries across all industries of the workforce:

Every job has its own specific hazards and suggested safety precautions to use when it comes to keeping eyes protected. Here are just a few examples highlighted by Alcon of how workers in certain industries can practice eye safety in the workplace.

Manufacturing and Factory Work

Factories and manufacturing industries are some of the most dangerous workplaces when it comes to your eyes. Whether you’re working with wood, plastic, chemicals, or even food, there are countless opportunities for objects to enter the eyes if proper precaution is not taken. Heavy machinery and fast-moving equipment can also pose a significant risk to employees if they are struck in the face and not wearing any protection as a barrier between the blunt force and their eyes.

Some of the most common hazards leading to injuries in manufacturing and factory jobs include:

Employees who work in the manufacturing industry should always wear proper eye protection such as goggles or glasses on the job. Eye protection that is old, damaged, or in poor condition should never be used as they could break and cause further injury to the worker. Using all necessary guarding and shielding when working on machines can also help prevent unnecessary facial injuries.

Welding Work

In addition to the eye risks highlighted for manufacturing and factory jobs, welding positions also pose the additional hazards of working with extremely hot materials and tools. Burns to the eye tissue from getting too close to a flame or from a flaming piece of metal entering the eye can result in painful injuries and vision loss. Welders should always wear certified and approved helmets or full-face masks when performing their duties to keep their eyes and face safe while working.

Medical Field

Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who do not wear eye protection can be at risk for developing eye injuries, as well as eye diseases. Exposure to pathogens from blood splashes or droplets from coughing and sneezing can enter the eye through the mucous membrane and transmit life-threatening diseases such as hepatitis B virus, HIV, or influenza. Medical professionals should wear eye protection, especially during surgeries and other serious medical procedures where the risk of bodily fluids going airborne is high.

Office Jobs

Yes- even cubical employees can damage their eyes! Aside from the threat of an accidently elbow to the eye from a coworker or pencil to the face, employees who spend the majority of their time looking at a screen can be at severe risk for developing eye strain known for leading to conditions such as dry eyes, fatigue, decreased productivity, headaches, and neck/shoulder pain. To reduce eye strain, employees can use these safety tips throughout the workday to improve their eye health:

Eye Safety For All Industries

Each eye injury and treatment plan are unique depending on the type of accident. However, when eye injuries do occur on the job, these general first aid recommendations can help keep eyes safe until you can seek medical care for your injury:

For more specific eye safety tips, visit WebMD to create a comprehensive eye safety plan for your workplace.

If you or loved one has been injured in an accident, Jacobs & Wallace is here to seek justice for you. Contact our knowledgeable team of personal injury attorneys for a free consultation and to review all of your options for fighting back.

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