Standardized Inspections:
Fewer Headaches For Salon Owners, More Consistency For The
Inspection Process
by Rick Mattoon
An inspector's trained eyes and knowledge of what constitutes risky practices can make them a valuable asset to tanning salons that are focused on regulatory compliance. At the same time, inconsistencies in the interpretation of inspection criteria among inspectors--and differences in inspection formats from state to state and county to county--have made life difficult for some salon owners across the country.
Adding to salon owners' apprehensive feelings about the inspection process is a growing trend among some local governments to assign letter or number grades to inspection scores and then requiring businesses to post those grades where consumers can see them. Such an approach makes inspection scores a competitive issue because no one wants a lower grade than their competition has received, and that only intensifies perceived inconsistencies in the salon inspection process.
Now, thanks to a proposal by the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) to the Indoor Tanning Association, tanning salon inspectors across the country just may have a source for learning a more standardized format of inspection.
The CRCPD is a professional organization whose primary membership is made up of individuals in state and local government who regulate the use of radiation sources. Other members include individuals with an interest in radiation protection. CRCPD's mission is "to promote consistency in addressing and resolving radiation protection issues, to encourage high standards of quality in radiation protection programs, and to provide leadership in radiation safety and education."
The Proposal
The CRCPD's proposal is to familiarize state radiation control personnel with current technology in the tanning industry and establish training programs to assure that tanning facility inspections by such radiation control personnel are consistent in states that have local tanning regulations.
The CRCPD realizes that indoor tanning is a dynamic industry, and new technologies and practices for application constantly are being developed. Officials with the CRCPD agree that it is extremely important that radiation regulatory control staff that are required to enforce tanning regulations are trained to apply their regulations properly and fairly to our dynamic industry.
In proposing this training program--which could be in place sometime next year--the CRCPD anticipates involving the efforts of its indoor tanning committee, as well as members of the indoor tanning industry.
If accepted, CRCPD's permanent staff may manage responsibilities for the program. However, some members of the Indoor Tanning Association (ITA) have shown great interest in jointly supporting such a plan. One of the first steps in developing such a project will include the appointing of consultants, researchers, training facilitators and editors. Additionally, to promote the program to the U.S. consumer, a media relations expert would be used for public relations.
Florida Officials Taking A Proactive Stance
As a way of educating his staff, Ken Widergren, environmental specialist for the Florida Department of Health, invited the National Tanning Training Institute to Florida earlier this year to speak to inspectors about several topics regarding indoor tanning. Some of those topics included federal and state regulatory issues that affect tanning salons, ultraviolet radiation and its tanning effects on the skin, photosensitivity, equipment sanitation and operational procedures, eyewear compliance, skin typing and exposure schedule determination.
The conference attendees were comprised of county and state officials responsible for the inspection and licensure of the state's nearly 2,000 tanning facilities. An individual wishing to open a tanning facility in Florida first must obtain an operational license through their local county health department. County health departments must inspect and approve facilities as a prerequisite to granting an operating license.
These same county health departments also are responsible for monitoring tanning facility operations through regular inspections to assure that required sanitary standards as well as other operational guidelines are followed.
Needless to say, programs like that used in Florida and the proposal made by the CRCPD for inspector training are efficient ways of reinforcing the knowledge and skills an inspector must possess when given the responsibility for overseeing salon compliance.
