Our Mission
Our Mission
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The mission of MHNSC is to investigate and raise awareness of health and safety issues faced by nail salon owners and employees and work together to find solutions to ensure healthy and safe workers and salons.
MHNSC focuses on advocacy, education, and research in the nail salon industry
MHNSC focuses on advocacy, education, and research in the nail salon industry
Who We Are
Who We Are
The Michigan Healthy Nail Salon Cooperative (MHNSC) was formed in 2016 following increasing national concern for the health and safety of nail salon owners and workers in the United States. This group of salon workers includes many minority individuals, especially of Vietnamese descent, who are often underserved and underrepresented by government resources and protections. MHNSC is made up of a team of professors, researchers, and students at the University of Michigan.
The team includes expertise and experience in industrial hygiene and workplace health and safety, Vietnamese language skills, community-based research practices, consulting, and both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
MHNSC Pillars
Research
Research
Exploration of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) exposure by associated members
Manuscript publication: Zhong L, Batterman S, Milando CW. VOC sources and exposures in nail salons: a pilot study in Michigan, USA. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2019;92(1):141-153. doi:10.1007/s00420-018-1353-0
Request of the information for 2015-2016 citation from NIOSH following the Freedom of Information Act
Knowledge gained for MHNSC team about the number of citations and primary citation source of nail salons in Michigan
Student Research Opportunities
Student led manuscript:
Dang JV, Rosemberg MS, Le AB. Perceived work exposures and expressed intervention needs among Michigan nail salon workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2021;94(8):2001-2013. doi:10.1007/s00420-021-01719-6
Students learn research skills (transcribing and coding qualitative data; manuscript development and submission for publication)
Development and submission of MLEEad proposal for training phase 1
Development of multi-lingual brochures on various topics (e.g. bloodborne pathogens, ergonomics, fungus, chemical exposure)
Local and international conference presentations
Increased connections and visibility about worker exposure and MHNSC; partnership building & strengthening with external partners
Education
Education
Training module on chemical exposure for Nail Salon Workers (Phase 1)
Feedback and module piloting from 4 Nail Salon Worker occupational health nursing students and industrial hygiene students
Development & submission of Graham Sustainability Catalyst grant application (Phase 2)
Yearly Healthy Nail Salon seminar (University of Michigan course code EHS 796)
Graduate-level seminar course on special topics in Environmental Health Sciences
Students do hands-on work in the community by completing workplace assessment
Students learn to develop walkthrough checklist reports
Students contribute to the development of nail salon lists in southeast Michigan
Advocacy
Advocacy
Connecting with local nail salons in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area in person
Meetings held in the community (e.g. local library, nail salons, conference rooms, virtually) with owners and workers to discuss needs and concerns
Information (e.g. on rights) provided to owner to help with business sustainability
Distribution of translated brochures on various topics (e.g. ergonomics, bloodborne pathogens, chemical exposure, etc.)
Provision of findings and recommendations from students' walkthrough assessment to nail salon owners
Our Projects
Active Projects
This study aims to understand the experiences of nail salon workers and owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of this project, we will develop a survey measuring the effects of the pandemic on salon workers, and workers with similar characteristics (e.g. female, low-wage, underinsured, immigrant, underrepresented).
We developed and designed an online training module to increase knowledge of nail salon owners and workers on the chemicals they are regularly exposed to at work, and how to best protect themselves.
Funded by the University of Michigan Graham Sustainability Institute.
Past Projects
This pilot study targeted the designing and development of a video enhanced online training module focused on reducing hazardous chemical exposure in nail salons.
Funded by the Michigan Lifestage Environmental Exposures and Disease (M-LEEaD) Center.
For this qualitative study, we interviewed nail salon workers and owners to understand their main concerns associated with working in a nail salon, and their perceived needs.
Contact Us
Contact Us
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