June 6, 2001

Salon owners, fire officials meet over citations, ventilation systems order

Bonita Springs is one of the few fire districts in the state to require nail salon exhaust systems.

By ERINN HUTKIN, echutkin@naplesnews.com

BONITA SPRINGS — Bonita Springs fire marshals agree the amount of chemicals salons use to groom fingernails can be as varied as two sets of fingerprints.

Fire officials heard Tuesday from upset Bonita hair and nail salon owners who are being cited for lack of ventilation systems to dilute nail chemical vapors. Fire district officials then agreed to work with salons individually to determine what — if any— sorts of ventilation are needed to comply with state fire codes.

Last month, Bonita fire officials were called to a nail salon after a neighboring business complained of chemical fumes. The complaint led fire marshals to give 22 of 27 Bonita salons citations for what the fire district deemed inadequate exhaust systems.

Fire Marshal David Davenport said nail treatment chemicals can cause headaches, scratchy eyes or long-lasting medical problems. He said the nail chemicals acetone and non-acetone are in the same flammability category as gasoline.

Bonita is one of the few fire districts in the state to require nail salon exhaust systems. However, Davenport said his interpretation of state fire codes is that salons are not allowed to have flammable nail chemicals, which is why he's asking for ventilation to capture fumes or vapors. He's also requesting salons store their nail chemicals in fire-proof cabinets.

"We're not trying to create a hardship," Davenport told salon owners Tuesday. "We're trying to create some compliance ... so you're not in violation."

But the two dozen-plus salon owners and employees who gathered at the Bonita fire station said there is no problem with the quality of their air. Many said nail treatments form only a fraction of their business, making it more economical to fire nail technicians than purchase ventilation systems that could cost up to $10,000.

"You are putting a gun to everybody's head in this room. ... I have three (nail) people in my salon. You're going to be putting them out of business," said Marty Oberstaedt, co-owner of Elegant Touch Salon. "What you are doing is over-building (exhaust) systems most of these people don't even need."

Meanwhile, attorney Beverly Grady with the firm Roetzel and Andress, said she will send questions to Fire Chief Dan Gourley on behalf of salon owners. She said her questions will challenge the district's interpretation of the fire code. For instance, she said the district is basing its decision on a section of the code stating flammable chemicals are not allowed in "offices." She said salons are not offices and the code may not apply to them.

Assistant Fire Marshal Mark Goodman said the intent is to work with salons and not put anyone out of business. He said he will wait for Gourley to answer Grady's questions and determine whether exhaust systems are required. He said each Bonita salon will then be visited to determine ventilation needs. While issuing citations, he said he found chemicals ranged from large, open jugs to chemical-filled bowls customers dip their fingers into.

"When you get down to those minimal quantities (of chemicals,) the amount of ventilation needed is minimal," Goodman said. "We need to treat different shops differently based on the hazards they present."

In the meantime, Goodman said salon citations will remain valid. While the tickets give salon owners 30 days to add exhaust systems, he said businesses will gain extensions if they are working with the fire district to address the problem.

Meanwhile, salon owners said they feel the fire district should have further researched the codes before giving citations.

"You can't answer half the questions we're asking you," Essential Image Salon employee Barbara George told Gourley. "Shouldn't we have tried this forum before the citations went out?"

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