The “Salon Safety Quiz” for pre-/post-evaluation assessment when training young cosmetology workers in public secondary schools

A Salon Safety Quiz (SSQ) was developed in 2012 by New Jersey Safe Schools (NJSS) Program in conjunction with Georgia Tech Research Institute. The SSQ is intended to be a teaching tool and a starting point for discussion between cosmetology teachers and their students concerning health risks and hazards faced by salon workers. “Young Worker Safety and Health Training for the Cosmetology Industry” trainings conducted in both New Jersey (NJ) and Georgia (GA) utilized the SSQ as a pre-/post-assessment tool to gauge baseline knowledge on safety and health topics, as well as knowledge gained after trainings. Topics covered in the trainings include child labor laws and safety and health hazards for salon workers focusing on chemical safety and ergonomics. Pre- and post-aggregate data between April and September 2013 were analyzed for NJ and GA. There was a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-mean scores for both NJ (p < 0.001) and GA (p = 0.004), and for mean post-test scores between NJ and GA (p < 0.001). There was also a statistically significant difference between mean scores for both states between pre- and post-test scores for both 9th and 10th graders and 11th and 12th graders. Students in both states particularly had issues with identifying biological hazards, knowledge of the correct placement of fire extinguishers, how to prevent tripping hazards, and knowledge of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's hazard communication standard and top cited salon offenses. Results can help guide objectives, specific sub-topics, and new activities for students in future young cosmetology worker trainings.