England update: use of visors and goggles in salons and barbershops

This guidance is for England only. 

In England only, government guidance on visors and goggles has changed. 

As announced on the 27 November 2021, Boris Johnson has confirmed that from Tuesday 30 November at 4am, face coverings will be mandatory in shops and on public transport, including hairdressers.

We are trying to find out more information about what this means for the rest of close contact services and will provide further detail when we have more information. Read full Government statement here. 

• Why should I still wear a visor or goggles?
• Can I still require my staff to wear a visor or goggles?
• Why could I be fined for not wearing a visor or goggles if the law doesn't say they are mandatory?
• Do clients still have to wear a face covering?

Why should we still wear a visor or goggles? 

• Important: enforcement officers in several local authorities are continuing to enforce the use of visors or goggles and will take action against you if you are not using them. Like us, they do not believe the risks from coronavirus can be managed without them.
  Find your local authority so you can check what their policy is. 
• If you have a case of COVID-19 in your salon, the decision not to use visors or goggles could be used as evidence that you were not managing health and safety correctly. 
• If you choose not to use a visors or goggles, you could still be expected to explain your decision to an enforcement officer. 
• The level of risk from coronavirus has not changed, and the use of visors or goggles is still required to manage those risks. 
• The law and guidance have changed from: 

           “You must use visors/goggles to manage the risks from COVID” 
           to 
           “You must do what is necessary to manage the risks from COVID.” 

This does not change the controls you must have in place. 

Can I still require my staff to wear a visor or goggles?

Yes. Your legal duties to manage health and safety have not changed and you will still need to enforce the use of appropriate personal protective equipment. Your staff must comply with the health & safety rules that you set out. 

Can I be prosecuted or fined if my staff do not wear visors or goggles? 

Yes. You can still face enforcement action. You are still responsible for managing health and safety in your salon or barbershop, and for putting in place appropriate control measures. 

The level of risk from coronavirus has not changed, and you would have to give the enforcing authorities a satisfactory reason for why you are not using them. 

Do clients still have to wear a face covering?

Yes, the law says that members of the public must wear face coverings in public places. The guidance for England says that clients must not remove their face covering unless this is essential for a particular treatment. Find out more on the government website.