Final answer:
Decontamination in salons requires adherence to standards set by health organizations, with sterilization for critical items, high-level disinfection for semi-critical items, and general cleanliness for noncritical items. UV sterilization may also be employed for effectiveness.
Step-by-step explanation:
Decontamination in a salon setting is essential for ensuring the safety and health of both staff and clients. The correct level of decontamination depends on the classification of the items being used. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have established different levels - critical, semi-critical, and noncritical - to guide appropriate decontamination practices based on item usage. For items that contact sterile tissues (critical items), sterilization is required. Semi-critical items, which make contact with mucous membranes, require high-level disinfection, whereas noncritical items, which only touch intact skin, can be properly decontaminated with general cleanliness methods such as sanitization.
In accordance with the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists International (AOAC) standards, disinfectants used must demonstrate a high effectiveness rate, passing rigorous testing to ensure no microbial growth exists after application. Furthermore, low-intensity ultraviolet can be used to sterilize implements, exploiting the unique properties of ultraviolet energy to ensure the deactivation of microorganisms. Regular cleaning procedures may not reach all bacteria, particularly those residing in deeper parts of the hair follicles, hence the importance of establishing high standard decontamination procedures to prevent recontamination and ensure client safety.