Safe Shops History
The Safe Shops Program was developed as a way to educate shop owners and workers about safe work practices.
Boston's auto shops and nail salons show the ways that health inequities play out in Boston. There are approximately 200 nail salons throughout the city. They are primarily owned and staffed by Vietnamese women. There are more than 500 automotive shops, located in primarily low-income communities of color and staffed by majority Latino men. These industries are a source of both well-paying jobs and potential hazardous exposures for employees and community members, placing a disproportionate number of men and women of color at risk.
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Timeline
2004: The Safe Shops Program Begins
We became aware of the need for outreach to auto shops through community members’ concerns about auto shop practices and subsequent investigation by enforcement partners. The Safe Shops Program was developed as a way to educate auto shop workers about safe work practices. The Program used long standing relationships with enforcement and community partners, combined with public health outreach, to form and sustain relationships with auto shop owners and workers, who helped us identify the ways we could best support their needs. We developed trainings and resources to support health and safety.
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2007: Expansion to Nail Salons
Just as with auto shops, we became aware of the need for outreach to nail salons through community members’ concerns over nail salon odors. Investigation into these odors indicated that nail salon products contain hazardous chemicals. In addition, we identified a need for education about sanitary best practices in nail salons. Product reviews and investigation into the scientific literature indicates that nail salons pose similar potential health hazards to workers as auto shops do. With nail salon owner and worker input, we developed trainings and resources to support their health and safety.
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2011: Nail Salon Regulation Passes
BPHC’s Environmental & Occupational Health Division began to regulate and permit nail salons, increasing the Safe Shops Program’s utility in nail salons. Today, the Safe Shops Program continues to provide outreach to nail salons, to ensure regulatory compliance and the use of best practices to support health and safety.
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2012: Green & Clean Program Launches
With support from a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the program launched the Green & Clean business recognition program. The program recognizes shops that go beyond basic environmental and sanitary standards.
2017: Expansion to Hair Salons
With support from another grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the program expanded outreach to hair salons. We focused on salons providing services to women of color. Due to embedded racism, black women and girls are pressured to straighten or "relax” their hair through the use of products that contain a mix of chemicals that can be harmful to health. These products are even more harmful for those using them daily as part of their job. We now conduct regular outreach to Boston's hair salons.
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