Clients want to step out of your salon looking and feeling their best, but they also want to feel safe while receiving their treatment. That’s where beauty salon risk assessments come in. Not only are they vital for protecting your clients, but they also protect your staff and your business too.

In this guide, we’ll discuss why conducting risk assessments is essential for health and safety, walk you through how to carry out a beauty salon risk assessment, and give some real-life examples of common risks and how to mitigate them.

 

 

Why should risk assessments be carried out in a salon?

While risk assessments can protect your business against legal claims, they’re there to keep you, your staff and your customers safe too. Every business is required to conduct regular risk assessments, and doing so will ensure that any risks are mitigated, helping to create a safe environment.

 

They’re a legal requirement

In the UK, businesses are legally obligated to protect their staff under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Businesses must identify any potential hazards and their steps to mitigate injuries. Failure to conduct regular risk assessments will result in fines and could lead to more severe consequences – especially if an accident occurs.

 

To ensure the safety of your clients

It’s not just staff that beauty salons have to keep safe, but their clients too. From sharps to hazardous chemicals, customers are exposed to all kinds of hazards when stepping into your salon. A risk assessment will help to identify these and determine ways to mitigate risks. This greatly reduces the risk of injuries and accidents.

 

To maintain your professional reputation

Clients want to feel confident in the salon they choose. A clean, clutter-free, welcoming space will make clients feel comfortable during their treatments, and more likely to return. Providing a safe environment that prioritises your clients’ health and wellbeing is important for your business’s reputation, and protects it from the potential fallout of accidents and health complaints too.

 

They can prevent insurance claims

Accidents, injuries, and health hazards are a one-way ticket to expensive lawsuits and compensation claims. Addressing risks early and assessing safety measures can reduce the likelihood of getting caught up in legal battles with staff or clients.

 

 

How to carry out a beauty salon risk assessment

Conducting a risk assessment involves identifying any hazards in your salon, evaluating the risk level of each one, and then taking steps to mitigate those risks. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide on how to carry out a risk assessment.

 

Step 1: Identify any potential hazards

First, write a list of anything in your salon that has the potential to cause harm. Hazards aren’t always as obvious as you think either. These can include:

• Chemicals: Ingredients in nail products, hair dyes, skincare treatments and cleaning products could cause allergic reactions, chemical burns or respiratory problems.
• Electrical equipment: Electricals (such as hair straighteners and curlers) can be a fire hazard or cause electric shock.
• Slips and falls: Loose wires and water/product spills can cause people in your salon to slip or trip.
• Chronic pain: Standing for long periods and performing repetitive tasks can cause strains, sprains and pains for your staff.

 

Step 2: Determine who is at risk

After you’ve identified the potential hazards, it’s now time to determine who could be harmed and how.

• Staff: Daily tasks such as using electrical equipment, applying chemical substances and performing repetitive movements mean staff are at risk of burns, electric shocks, chemical exposure and strains.
• Clients: Some of the most common risks for clients are allergic reactions, slips and burns.
• Visitors: Clients waiting to be seen (and delivery drivers) may come to harm too from loose wires and clutter.

 

Step 3: Evaluate the risks and determine the precautions

Next, you need to assess the severity and likelihood of each risk. Give each potential hazard a ranking of low, medium or high based on the possibility and severity of the risk. For example:

• Electric shock: Low likelihood, high severity
• Slips and falls: High likelihood, medium severity

You’ll then need to think about the safety measures you’ll put into place to mitigate each one. Examples include:

• Regularly PAT-testing electricals: To ensure they’re in good working order and safe for staff to use.
• Good housekeeping practices: Making sure spills are cleaned, wet floor signs are used, and your salon is regularly tidied.

 

Step 4: Make a record of your findings

You should now have a comprehensive understanding of the risks present in your salon. It’s important to document these not only for your records but also to raise awareness of the potential hazards that can occur in the workplace. Make sure your records are clear and can be accessed easily in the future for reference. Your document should note the following:

1. The potential hazards
2. Who is at risk and how could they be harmed
3. The severity of each risk
4. What steps are in place to mitigate the risks

 

 

When and how often should you complete a risk assessment?

Initial Assessment: When you’re opening up a new salon, you should complete an initial beauty salon risk assessment.

Routine Reviews: Review your risk assessment at least every year to ensure any new risks are identified and any previous risks still remain mitigated.

Post-Incident Reviews: If an accident occurs in the salon or even a close call, conduct an immediate risk assessment to identify how the incident happened (or nearly happened) and the steps you’ll put in place to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Significant Changes: Whenever your salon undergoes any changes (e.g. expanding the premises or introducing new services), you should perform a new risk assessment.

 

What are some risks that are present in a beauty salon?

Allergic reactions: From hair dye, skincare products, eyelash tinting formulas, lash glues, nail varnish etc.

Fire hazards: Electrical equipment and flammable products are all fire hazards, so make sure to regularly service and PAT-test them.

Infections: If you don’t properly sanitise workstations, equipment and tools then staff and clients could get an infection.

Electrical equipment: Overloaded sockets or faulty equipment can cause electric shocks or fires. Be sure to inspect any electricals regularly and train staff on how to properly use any equipment.

Chemicals: Staff and clients are at risk of chemical exposure from hazardous substances in hair dyes, nail products, and skincare.

Needles and sharps: These create the potential for skin punctures and blood-borne viruses. Make sure you’re disposing of salon waste safely and in line with any local council legislation.

Slips and falls: Wet floors, cluttered spaces and loose wires all present the hazard of staff and clients having an accident in your salon.

Repetitive strain: Ensure staff get regular breaks to prevent repetitive strain from standing for long periods of time and carrying out services.

 

An example of a risk and mitigation strategy

Risk: Allergic reaction to a product.

Hazard: Clients or staff might have an allergic reaction to an ingredient in a product that’s used to carry out a treatment in the salon.

Likelihood: High (due to regular use).

Severity: High (if not managed properly, could result in serious health issues).

Mitigation Strategy:

• Ensure staff wear protective equipment when carrying out treatments, such as gloves and protective aprons when handling chemicals.
• Make sure each client has a patch test before carrying out a new service on them
• Ensure workstations and equipment are properly sanitised in between treatments and clients

 

Risk assessments are crucial for protecting your business, staff, and customers

Not only are risk assessments vital for preventing accidents and injuries from occurring in your salon, but they’re also a legal requirement. By taking the time to identify potential hazards, evaluate their risks, and implement measures to mitigate any accidents, you’re ensuring a safer working environment for your staff and building a trusted, reputable salon.

Don’t wait until it’s too late – put some time in your diary now to conduct your first risk assessment, and schedule regular assessments thereafter too.

 

 

Specialist beauty salon insurance through Ripe

Carrying out a risk assessment can help ensure that you’re taking steps to keep yourself, your staff, and your clients safe. For additional peace of mind, insuring your beauty salon through specialist beauty salon insurance can help provide financial protection should the worst happen.

Through Ripe, you can get specialist salon insurance that provides up to £10m Public and Products Liability cover and up to £5m Treatment Risk cover as standard to protect you against third-party claims for injury or property damage.

You can also choose additional cover options, such as Employers’ Liability and Buildings cover, so you’re only ever paying for the cover you need.

Learn more about how we can help here, or get an instant online quote.