Health & safety in your hair salon or barbershop

The law says every employer must carry out a risk assessment, and if you have more than five employees it should be written down. However, it’s best practice to have a written record even if you have fewer than five employees.

Make a list of anything that could cause injury or harm in your salon.

It’s a good idea to involve your staff as they may raise issues that you haven’t thought of.

You will then need to set out the steps you have taken to protect your staff and clients from the risks you have identified.

You must carry out a specific risk assessment for employees under the age of 18 to consider additional factors such as their immaturity and lack of experience. (A risk assessment for young people is included in the health and safety toolkit).

Create a health and safety policy

If you have five or more employees you must have a written health and safety policy. However, it’s good practice to have one even if you have fewer than five employees. (The NHBF health and safety toolkit includes a health and safety policy template.)

Do you want to set up your own hair or barbering business? This expert guide takes you through the process step by step – from deciding if you’re ready to start your own business to the excitement of throwing open your doors for the first time.

Staff training

The law says you must provide health and safety training for your staff. Employees must have training before they are exposed to any risk and you must record it has taken place.

‘Little and often’ is a good rule for ongoing health and safety training. This ensures health and safety stays at the forefront of your employees’ minds. Consider setting aside 15 minutes at every staff meeting to cover particular issues. (The NHBF health and safety toolkit includes guidelines for employees and the self-employed working in salons which can be used for induction and training.)

Appoint a first aider

You’ll need to have at least one appointed person to be in charge of first aid arrangements in your salon or barbershop. It’s also recommended that at least one person is trained in emergency first aid at work (EFAW). Find EFAW training courses run by the NHBF.

Dermatitis

Your employees may be at risk of dermatitis. Dermatitis is a skin disorder that causes redness, itchiness and swelling. It can also cause flaking, blistering, weeping and cracking. It can be caused by:

• Contact with water or detergents that irritate the skin.
• An allergic response to chemicals; this can take a while to develop.

To protect against dermatitis, your staff must wear disposable non-latex powder-free gloves (nitrile or vinyl) when doing anything that may expose them to the risk of dermatitis. They should change gloves between clients. Encourage your staff to check their hands regularly for signs of dermatitis.

Musculoskeletal problems

Your staff may also experience strains, sprains and general pain due to doing physically repetitive work that involves a lot of standing and bending.

You can reduce the risk by providing:

• Wheeled stools.
• Advice on the best positions to work in – for example, keeping feet apart when standing.

Allergy alert testing

You must carry out allergy alert tests at least 48 hours before applying hair colour. 

If your client suffers any reaction at all, don’t go ahead with the appointment. Keep confidential records of the allergy alert tests and outcomes.

Our Allergy Alert Consultation and Colour Record Cards are approved by Coversure Insurance Services, the NHBF’s preferred insurance provider.

(If you’re insured with another provider, make sure they will cover your use of the NHBF Allergy Alert Consultation and Colour Record Cards).

The NHBF works in partnership with Coversure Insurance Services to provide value-for-money insurance specifically designed for hair salons and barbershops. As an NHBF Member, you’ll benefit from a 20% discount on salon insurance.