Background and objective: long term work, nonstandard and improper tools, and inadequate lighting in the workplaces are important factors which resulted in awkward postures in hairdressers. The present study was performed to assess general and local lighting and investigate its relationship with postural status assessed by Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method in Hamadan’ hair salons.

Material and methods: in this descriptive analytical study, 100 hairdressers who worked in 50 hair salons were studied. The local and general lighting was measured using a Hanger ESI photometer. The hairdressers’ postures were assessed using REBA method. Data were analysed using version 21.0 of the SPSS/PC statistical package.

Results: in 97 and 72% of the studied hair salons, local and general illuminance levels were lower than the occupational exposure limit, respectively. REBA assessment indicates that 26 and 12.5% of the studied subjects fell in to high and very high risk levels, respectively. ANOVA test showed significant relationship between general illuminance and the REBA scores in face and eyebrow makeup tasks (p<0.05).

Conclusions: in most of the hair salons, local and general illuminance was lower than the Iranian occupational exposure limit and it had not a suitable condition in term of quality and quantity. According to the obtained risk levels, the modification of lighting systems of the hair salons and training of the hairdressers are recommended to prevent ergonomic disorders in hairdressers.