Health and safety ideas for beauty salons become crucial as we cope with the new normal of doing things differently during this COVID-19 pandemic. Before now, you could walk into a beauty salon for a facial, pedicure, haircut, or braiding without a second thought of catching a deadly virus or infecting others.
Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. This is because from the time you enter a beauty salon, get your treatment, and leave, there are several safety protocols to follow.
So we have identified 9 health and safety ideas for beauty salons that will allow salon owners to provide a healthy and safe environment for workers and customers.
Drive Community Advocacy For Safer Products And Regulations
The beauty and hair industry is not regulated. As a result, several of the products used contain chemicals known to be carcinogenic or allergic. Subsequently, salon workers and customers become exposed to products linked to cancer, dermatitis, asthma, eye, and throat irritation.
Actions to Take
Support advocacy for safer products and stronger regulations. For example, you may want to sponsor an employee team in a local fundraising health event.
Help workers and customers by purchasing safer products, particularly those without the toxic ingredient of formaldehyde.
Move gradually toward healthier and safe beauty salons with greener products.
Promote Wellness For A Healthier Workplace
Workplace wellness programs provide a proactive approach to healthy living for all employees. Hence covers a broad range of issues like healthy eating, smoking cessation, exercise, and vaccination against influenza, COVID-19, and other infectious diseases.
Since employee participation in workplace wellness programs must be absolutely voluntary, salon owners must define workers’ health needs and preferences. And then plan programs in response.
Actions to Take
Encourage a healthy lunch stressing the benefits of healthy eating to the body.
Enforce the no-smoking rule on the premises.
Consider subsiding gym subscription payments for workers.
Encourage 30 minutes relaxation break to stretch or walk around the work premises.
Inform workers about COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Provide good literature on the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine
Expose Health Risks Of Poor Cleanliness And Hygiene
Beauty and hair salons are super-spreaders of infectious diseases. As such it is very important that they are kept spotlessly clean. By repeatedly cleaning items used on various clients, you will be improving sanitary conditions. And in the process prevent cross-contamination and the spread of germs.
Actions to Take
Make it a priority to wipe down chairs and massage beds with disinfectant. Then keep them in a clean, dry condition in between use.
Ensure that all equipment and tools are either disposable or sanitized or sterilized after each use.
Wash towels and linen regularly and dry immediately to prevent germs from lingering on damp towels.
Provide instructions on how to store tools and equipment, and clean the salon and restrooms.
Provide a Safer Environment For Workers And Customers
Workplace health and safety embraces the promotion and maintenance of the physical, mental, and social well-being of workers. This means reducing products and work-related injury, illness, and disability by addressing hazards and risks in the salons. The reality is that by reducing hazardous risks, you are also lessening the stress employees feel in the workplace.
Actions to Take
Clean up liquid spills from the floor as soon as they happen to prevent slips. Also, be mindful of electrical wiring as this can be a potential trip hazard.
Use safer products that are effective without harming air quality in the salon or causing health effects among workers and customers.
Improve ventilation to reduce exposure to multiple toxic chemicals from various sources in the salon.
Prevent fire hazards by not congesting plug sockets with various electrical tools. And be careful with lighted candles because if they fall they can cause a fire outbreak.
Teach your staff what to do in the event of a fire. This training should include how to locate and use the fire extinguisher and escape.
Enforce Proper Use Of Protective Equipment
The COVID-19 pandemic has made the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) more important than ever. PPE and face coverings, including the wearing of a clear visor, and gloves should continue to be worn. Research shows that beauty and hairdressing salons and barbershops fall into the high-risk category. This is mainly due to the lengthy close proximity of the service provider and the client.
Actions to Take
Wear disposable gloves, face masks, goggles, and an apron.
Train stylists and beauticians on how to use personal protective equipment.
Sanitise reusable visors and clean them regularly.
Prepare New Health And Safety Protocols
The new normal situation means new health and safety protocols for your beauty salons. Protocols are easy to implement when you assign activities to selected workers, including when and how to do the tasks.
Actions to Take
Provide hand wash points and sanitizer dispensers.
Record all new safety protocols. This should include who will be responsible to manage them, how they should be implemented, and when.
Make a list of new materials you need to buy. Including items you currently have that you will need to store up to make your safety protocols possible.
Change the layout of your space as required by social distancing guidelines. You may need to shift furniture or isolate certain service points or even mount dividers.
Remove any unnecessary items that are normally shared, including magazines, style books, and service price cards.
Employ Only Qualified Staff
Employing qualified staff will save you a headache and give you peace of mind. Though you may need to pay more for hiring them. On the other hand, uncertified staff cannot give the level of service your clients are paying for.
Actions to Take
Make sure the staffs you hire are qualified to do the job they have been hired to do.
Ask to see the relevant certificates and proof of experience.
Ask for references from previous employers or tutors.
Do a proper vetting process when hiring
Build A Theft-proof Workplace
Just like any business, there is the potential risk that your beauty salon could become a victim of crime. These could be crimes committed by clients, employees, or passersby.
For instance, someone may steal beauty products, money from the till, salon equipment, or clients’ phones or handbags. It is also possible that business money is misappropriated by an employee. In addition, some bold thieves may not wait for the closing of your beauty salon before breaking in.
Actions to Take
Install a CCTV system that will provide evidence should a theft or break-in occur.
Ensure doors and frames are sturdy and fitted with secure, high-quality locks. Also, keep side doors locked at all times.
Have commercial insurance to protect your business from theft.
Set Salon Rules And Regulations
Client service code of conduct exists in salons one way or the other. This code of conduct could be verbal teaching from the owner, an unofficial set of regulations and rules, or job descriptions.
However, a chaotic set of codes will create problems when workers start behaving as they please. For instance, bad behavior, coming late to work, or grumbling in front of clients. No matter the size of your salon, whether low-cost or premium, all clients are looking for high-quality service. So if they cannot get it in your salon, they will find it somewhere else.
Therefore, setting salon regulations and rules is one of the health and safety ideas for beauty salons. For example, what to say when greeting a client. What to offer during service. What to say during a call. How to book a new appointment, and so on.
Action to Take
Clearly set down salon regulations and rules.
Teach the staff to follow them.
https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/12930-nail-salon-workers-health
https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA3797.pdf
Photo Credit: Creative Commons
