As Americans resume travel and gather with friends and family, beauty businesses have seen their business traffic increase. Beauty business owners have been able to grow their clientele as people aim to look their best before traveling for vacations or long-awaited social gatherings. With traffic increasing at salons and spas, business owners should be prioritizing equipment and facility safety to keep their staff, business and customers safe.
One of the best ways to improve a beauty business’ risk profile is to establish proper safety protocols. And safety starts with training.
All employees should have to partake in rigorous training sessions after being hired. In addition to covering common treatment risk exposures, like haircare risks, this training should cover equipment and facility risks, including COVID-19 related safety measures, equipment safety, slip and falls, chemical exposure and more.
Here are some of the major equipment and facility risks beauty business owners must address in any safety training as well as best practices to manage these risks:
- COVID-19: As the delta variant continues to spread across the nation, COVID-19 remains a significant threat. Salons and spas should continue practicing COVID-19 safety protocols as outlined by the CDC. These include emphasizing social distancing and mask wearing, regularly disinfecting commonly used surfaces and equipment, and requesting staff frequently wash and sanitize their hands, particularly before working with new customers.
- Equipment Safety: Equipment failure during a customer’s session can be a significant issue for salons and spas. To counter this problem, beauty businesses should conduct regular assessments of all equipment and maintain a record of their functionality. Any equipment showing signs of wear and tear should be noted for replacement as soon as possible. Furthermore, trimmers, razors, hairdryers and other appliances should be checked before use on a customer to avoid potential cuts or burns to a customer.
- Slip and Falls: Slip and falls are an extremely common risk at businesses nationwide. Salons and spas can manage this risk by cleaning up all hair and liquid spills immediately after working with a customer. Ensuring cords from appliances are not obstructing walkways and confirming flooring is in good condition and not damaged can also help keep customers as well as employees safe.
- Chemical Safety: Beauty workers often work with chemicals when treating customers. Before using any chemical-based product, stylists should take time to review the ingredients to be aware of any potential adverse effects to customers. In the event a customer or staff member gets a chemical in their eyes or otherwise has a negative reaction, a first-aid kits and an eye-wash stations should be readily available.
In addition to implementing these safety measures, beauty business owners can reach out to their insurer for a risk assessment of their facility. A trusted insurer will be able to provide tailored safety recommendations to protect their business.
While eliminating every safety concern at beauty businesses is nearly impossible, taking these steps can help minimize the chance of an incident. Rigorous training, adhering to COVID-19 safety guidelines, performing regular equipment maintenance, following chemical safety measures and proper attention to slip and fall risks can go a long way towards preventing common exposures at salons and spas.
Kathy Lopez, Account Manager for SASSI, the Salon and Spa Specialty Insurance program at Brownyard Group. She can be reached at klopez@brownyard.com.
