Starting a nail and beauty salon can be hard work. If you also have to study the legislation and regulations for beauty salons, it’s an added stress. This is why we have created a handy guide for everything you need and should know when it comes to health and safety in salons.
So, you’re starting your own beauty salon. You’ve got your business registered and applied for a premises licence. You know the treatments you will offer and have the relevant licenses for them. What next?
Risk Assessment
Is it going to be just you working out of your home, or are you planning to hire employees? Either way, you need to carry out a risk assessment.
If you have more than five employees, the law says your risk assessment needs to be written down. However, we recommend that you make it a practice to write it down even if you have fewer than five employees.
How Do You Do a Risk Assessment?
Don’t know how to go about doing a risk assessment? Don’t worry! The HSE website has examples of risk assessments that you can use as a template. Here’s one for a hair salon that you might find handy, along with a sample document.
While it may sound very technical, a risk assessment is just a list of possible dangers in your salon and how you intend to keep your clients and staff (including yourself!) safe from them.
For example, constant washing of hands can cause dermatitis.
That is a risk.
A possible solution for that would be your employees wear gloves during any beauty treatment. This would protect them from the chemicals used during the treatment and reduce the number of times they need to wash their hands.
Another example of a risk would be liquids on the ground. If someone spills water, or any other liquid, on the floor, people could slip and fall. How are you going to ensure no one gets hurt?
Fumes, vapours, and different kinds of dust can be a danger in a closed salon environment. Outline the extraction processes and equipment you would have in your salon as a solution.
We have a list of the chemicals commonly found in salons that could help you get started, but it also helps to discuss this with your employees. Sometimes, having different points of view can help you identify hazards that you might not have thought of on your own.
Create a Health and Safety Policy
Once you have identified all the risks in your salon, it is time to create your health and safety policy.
As it was with risk assessment, if you have more than five employees, your health and safety policy needs to be written down. Yet again, we would recommend writing it down no matter how many employees you have.
Your health and safety policies are a list of best practices to follow so your employees and clients are safe in your workplace.
If you had decided to insist on disposable gloves during treatments, this goes in your policy.
If you decided that liquids spilt on the floor were to be cordoned off and cleaned immediately, this goes in the policy.
The extraction tools and solutions you have installed should also be listed, along with which one to use in which treatment. Once you have everything written down, put it up where everyone can see it.
Staff Training
We are not talking about training your employees to do their job. They already know how to do that. We are talking about training them about health and safety in the workplace.
This training is a legal requirement and you must be able to prove that they have been trained. Anyone who works for you should know about the possible risks of the substances and equipment, the proper way of handling them, risk reduction, etc.
First Aid Training
Even with detailed safety policies, it may not be possible to avoid all injuries. This is why it is important that your salon workers are trained in basic first aid. You are also required to have at least one employee who is fully trained in emergency first aid at work.
This is not very complicated. The Red Cross, St. John’s Ambulance, and The British Heart Foundation offer first aid courses that you can take advantage of.
Having a certified first aider on staff also builds up your credibility with your clients!
Health Risks
As we mentioned earlier, there are a number of products used in beauty salons that release chemicals in the form of harmful vapours and fumes that can cause health issues when inhaled. Some of these chemicals can also cause bad reactions when they come in contact with the skin.
Certain substances may not cause any damage with short-term contact but could be harmful over a long period of time.
If your salon offers nail treatments, you should know that both natural nails and acrylics ones produce inhalable dust during nail filing, which can be harmful.
It is your responsibility to inform your employees about the risks associated with these chemicals, vapours, fumes, and dust. You also need to provide them with the right personal protection equipment, along with extraction and ventilation solutions.
Repetitive Strain Injuries
A repetitive strain injury (RSI) is the aches and pains you can get in your muscles, nerves, or tendons when you do the same motions over and over again. Carpal-Tunnel syndrome is a well-known RSI, caused by holding your wrist in the same position over the keyboard.
If your employees are doing physically repetitive work, they could be at risk of such injuries. As a salon owner, you could reduce this risk by providing them with adjustable chairs and equipment, wheeled stools, and training on proper posture and stance.
Client Protection
In addition to protecting your employees, you are also legally obliged to protect your clients. Here are some policies that you should follow in order to keep your clients safe (and you on the right side of the law).
Allergy Testing
Hair colouring and tinting products can cause an allergic reaction in some people. In some cases, the reaction does not appear until a few hours later. This is why it is a good idea to ALWAYS conduct an allergy test before your client goes through a procedure.
Why always? Because even if the client was fine with a product earlier, the company may tweak the ingredients of the product. Some people have had a bad reaction to hair colouring products suddenly after using them for years with no ill-effects.
The test is a simple patch test. Apply the product on a small area that is not very visible (just in case there IS a reaction), like the inside of their elbow or behind their ears. If they develop a rash, redness, or itchiness, they might be allergic. In this case, you should tell them not to go ahead with the procedure (or perhaps try out a different product, one they aren’t allergic to).
Carry out the allergy test at least 48 hours before the procedure. Your clients may not find it convenient but it could save them a lot of trouble and discomfort.
Hair dyes and lash tinting products can get on the face or in the eyes. If the client is allergic, it could possibly cause long-term damage. Protect them and yourself.
Age-Related Legal Restrictions
Under UK law, certain procedures cannot be carried out on people (or by people) under the age of 16, like hair dyeing or lash and brow tinting.
Other treatments, like piercing, waxing, manicure, and pedicure, cannot be done on minors without written permission from parents or guardians. The responsible adult also needs to be present during the procedure.
Similarly, there are treatments that are not allowed on anyone under the age of 18. It is your responsibility, as the salon owner, to make sure your employees know and follow the law.
Treatment Health & Safety
According to the law, only employees with the necessary qualifications, training, and experience can carry out treatments. They must also dispose of unused products and empty containers in the proper way.
Any treatment where there might be blood, like piercing or tattoos, requires sterilised wipes. These cannot be thrown in the general rubbish, so you will need a bio-waste disposal bin.
You also need to be aware that you need to have a license to carry out procedures like massage, chiropody, manicure, and electric treatments.
At VODEX, we understand how involved running a salon can be. This is why we offer a range of extraction solutions for beauty and cosmetics, as well as podiatry. As a result, you can focus on your business while we take care of your extraction needs. If you want more information about our beauty extraction products or want to discuss your specialised requirements, give us a call or get in touch with us.
