New regulations require health inspections
By: Joseph Harvie
The Township Council adopted a resolution Oct. 5 asking the state to allow local boards of health to inspect licensed nail salons.
There are no regulations in place that require nail salons to be inspected on a regular basis, township Health Officer Steve Papenberg said Wednesday. He said that because of the risk of disease being spread at the salons, the local health boards should be able to inspect the facilities to ensure that it is being done routinely.
The state Board of Cosmetology and Hair Styling currently performs the inspections.
Mr. Papenberg said the Health Department took a survey of nail salons in the township and said that more than 50 percent of the 12 township nail salons hadn’t been inspected in the past five years.
"The (state regulations) don’t specifically indicate how often they have to be inspected," Mr. Papenberg said. "But the Advisory Board of Health and the Board of Health felt there was too much of a lapse between inspections."
However, in order for the township to perform the inspections it would need state approval, Mr. Papenberg said.
Mr. Papenberg said that the state Department of Community Affairs has the authority to allow the township to do the inspections, but has not yet allowed them to do so.
Mayor Frank Gambatese said that the resolution will help to keep the residents’ health from being at risk.
"They felt that it was important that the township consider doing the inspection to repair what they see as a deficiency for the health of our residents," Mayor Gambatese said.
According to the resolution, unsanitary conditions in nail shops could result in bacterial, fungal and viral infections and allergic reactions such as ringworm and contact dermatitis.
Mayor Gambatese said that a copy of the resolution was going to be sent to the League of Municipalities, and the township will request that all towns adopt similar ordinances urging the state to allow local health boards to do the inspections.

