Johanna recently emailed me with a very good question. Here is the condensed version and answer:
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Dear TanningBeds.org,

I went in to use the ’superbed’ (more powerful bed of the 5 they have) and while I was in there for my designated 10 minutes started getting a really uncomfortable feeling. When I got out of the bed I checked and could see that there was a large crack in the surface of the acrylic sheet I was lying on. There were also sections underneath that had broken away.

Quite a few several inch long sections of these ’support beams’ had fallen through and were gone completely or cracked. I asked why the receptionist hadn’t made me aware the bed was damaged and was told that there was no danger or potential danger in using the bed. I was also told that the owner hadn’t been planning on replacing the acrylic any time soon but they were sure he could have a new acrylic installed within a few weeks – something that also concerned me.

Can you tell me: Should the bed have been used with that extent of cracking happening to it, both on the surface and underneath? How safe or, contrarily, dangerous was it to use at that time?
Johanna
(email address not shown here)
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Here is what I emailed back to her:

Dear Johanna,

Where the crack is is what is important, but if I am paying extra for a superbed/megabed/upgrade bed, I think I would expect it not to be a safety concern. In many states, it is actually illegal to allow customers to use a bed with a cracked acrylic.

I would recommend just using a different bed, and if they won’t repair defective equipment, then switching to a different salon once the minutes are used up. Two weeks, unfortunately, is typical to get acrylics sometimes, and big beds don’t use the same acrylics in the top and bottom like home systems.

Personally, I think the salon owner shouldn’t let people use the bed if it is as bad as you describe. You probably can’t get your money back from this salon and there is likely no legal recourse since there was no damages (I am not a lawyer), but I wouldn’t keep giving a salon money if they won’t fix potential safety issues.

Best advise: Talk to the owner, politely and calmly ask about the problem. If they don’t seem concerned, go some place else. It’s your money, vote with your dollars.