Two Beaumont Salons Fined $10,000 For Sanitation Violations
TDLR Investigators Confirm Almost Two Dozen Violations After Consumer
Complaint
July 26, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Patrick Shaughnessy
512-463-3208
AUSTIN – Two Beaumont salon owners will each pay a $10,000 fine and have their salon licenses placed on probation for two years after investigators from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) confirmed almost two dozen sanitation violations at the salons.
Dong Thi Pham, owner of Regal Nails, 4145 Dowlen Road, and Bach Nanh Trinh, owner of Queen Nails, 3965 Phelan Blvd, admitted the violations and agreed to the final orders. The fines are to be paid in 12 monthly installments.
In addition to the fine, each shop owner agreed to allow TDLR inspectors to collect bacteriological samples from their staff and premises during unannounced quarterly visits for the next year and also to pay for analysis of the samples. They agreed to complete a four-hour health and safety sanitation training course and also require all current employees and employees hired during the next year to also complete the training. This sanitation training must be in addition to the four hours of sanitation training all cosmetologists must complete to renew their licenses. Each shop also will be subject to random, unannounced visits by TDLR inspectors during the probationary period.
On October 25, 2006, TDLR investigators, acting on a consumer complaint, performed unannounced inspections at each of the salons. At Regal Nails, investigators found 11 sanitation violations, including equipment and instruments that had not been sanitized prior to use with clients; an unlicensed individual providing services; manicurists failing to wash their hands prior to providing services, nail technicians using soiled towels on customers; inadequate record keeping of sanitation of whirlpool foot baths; and three credo blades, prohibited instruments similar to cheese slicers used to remove skin from a client’s feet.
At Queen Nails, investigators found 11 violations, including nail technicians providing services with equipment and instruments that were not cleaned or sanitized prior to use; inadequate ventilation to remove strong chemical fumes; employees who failed to wash their hands prior to providing services; inadequate record keeping for required sanitation of whirlpool foot baths; and two prohibited credo blades.
“No one should have to risk their health and safety for a manicure or pedicure, and instruments that have not been properly sanitized or sterilized may pose a dire risk,” said William Kuntz, TDLR’s executive director. “Salons that follow our sanitation guidelines protect their customers from harm. Salons that disregard the guidelines will find that placing their customers’ health in jeopardy is very expensive.”
Eight Beaumont salons were inspected by TDLR investigators last October after the agency received a consumer complaint about lax sanitation practices in the salons. The inspections confirmed 170 violations in the salons indicated in videotapes taken in the salons by the consumer using a concealed camera. Enforcement cases against several of the other salons are pending.
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