An ergonomic evaluation of the seated position at a hairdresser's workstation

Beauty Parlour Syndrome (BPS) is a form of stroke occurring after a visit to the hair salon usually affecting middle-aged and elderly women. It is caused by arterial dissection in the neck due to neck extension while being attended to. In this study an ergonomic evaluation of the client's seated position at two backwash systems, and a front wash system was carried out. Workstation and anthropometric measurements were recorded and modified versions of the Body Part Discomfort (BPD) Scale and the Chair Feature Checklist (CFC) were administered. A posture assessment using LUBA (Loading on the Upper Body Assessment) was also carried out. The Results of the assessments indicated that current seating arrangements in both positions were inadequate and that client postures needed to be corrected. It is recommended that hairdresser training should include information on the risks associated with developing BPS.