Health and Safety Legislation

1. Monitor and maintain health and safety practice in the salon

2. Health and Safety Legislation All workplaces have to comply with health and safety laws It is the responsibility of employers to ensure the safety of staff working in their salons but staff must comply with the health and procedures in place and be responsible for making sure that their actions do not put themselves at risk, or put anyone else at risk. The salon must be safe for clients and anyone else who visits the salon. You will be trained to work in a safe manner and you will have to demonstrate this when undertaking all practical work.

3. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 The EMPLOYER will: Provide and maintain safe systems of work Provide and maintain safe working equipment Provide the necessary information, supervision and training in health and safety Provide and maintain adequate welfare facilities Provide and maintain a safe working environment, access to and exit from the workplace Ensure safety in transporting, storing, handling, using and disposing of hazardous substances and equipment All new employees/trainees should receive an INDUCTION which includes health and safety

4. Health and Safety at Work Act • The EMPLOYEE/TRAINEE will: • Take reasonable care of themselves and those for whom they are responsible • Co-operate with the employer in matters of health and safety to ensure compliance with laws and regulations • Not misuse equipment provided in the interest of health and safety

5. Health and Safety Legislation What is COSHH? What is RIDDOR? Detailed information relating to the Acts is given in a Handout. Read the handout at home and make a note of any queries so that you can ask your assessor next session.

6. Fire Safety

7. Manual Handling How do you lift a heavy object?

8. Manual Handling

9. Manual Handling

10. Electrical Equipment What problems could there be with electrical equipment? What is PAT testing and how often should it be carried out? Who should carry it out?

11. What else do we need to be mindful of in the salon ?

12. Risk Assessment Hazards in the workplace that may cause an accident or injury to any person who enters the premises must be identified. Hazards are possible sources of danger Risk is the chance or possibility that an accident might occur

13. A risk assessment system A 5-step system: Step 1: Identify the hazards Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions Step 4: Record your findings and implement them Step 5: Review your assessment and update if necessary

14. In order of effectiveness: • Get rid of the hazard, or cause of the hazard – elimination • Try a less risky option – substitution • Prevent access to the hazard – isolation • Reduce the number of people exposed to the hazard and how long they work with it – reduced exposure • Use personal protective equipment (as a last resort)

15. When you undertake a risk assessment ….. You record: the hazard(s) identified who might be harmed and how what existing practice is in order to deal with the hazard what further action is needed (if any) who should be responsible for dealing with it by when it should be dealt with Risks assessments are updated regularly (annually) Risk assessments are undertaken frequently Straightaway if major changes happen at the salon (ie reorganise layout/new staff/new equipment) Following any changes to health and safety Regulations

16. Risk Assessment Activities Each week, two members of the group will be required to undertake a risk assessment of the salon premises (one in the morning session and one in the afternoon session). There will be a rota and you will be informed if you are undertaking the risk assessment the following week. There is a checklist to be completed – each member of the group has to successfully undertake TWO competent assessments. The learner undertaking the risk assessment will be observed by the assessor who will then give feedback to the learner as to whether the observation has been successful, or will give feedback on how the assessment can be improved. All completed risk assessments will be filed into the portfolio.

17. What hazards do you think there could be in a salon?

18. Example of Risk Assessment

19. Cleanliness/hygiene in the Salon • Salon surfaces • Equipment • Re-usable resources • Personal hygiene • Hand hygiene What problems could be caused if areas/equipment etc are not clean?

20. When you go to a beauty salon, you want to come out feeling pampered, relaxed and looking your best. What you don’t want to leave with is a fungal infection, burns or lice. However, that’s exactly what you’ll end up with if you go to a salon that doesn’t adhere to health and safety standards. To avoid ruining your look, and your health, be on the lookout for these 10 potential health hazards the next time you go to the beauty salon. Uncertified Technicians Before you get settled, make sure that the technicians or hairdressers are properly certified. If a license isn’t on display, ask to see it. Inexperienced technicians can, not only give you a bad dye job, but they can easily botch a facial or gel manicure, leaving you with burns, nerve damage or other injuries. Tools That Are Not Properly Sanitized When you sit down and have a consultation with the hairdresser or technician, this is the time to check out the tools that will be used on you. Are the heat-styling tools clean or are they covered in baked-on hair products? Are the brushes and combs full of hair? All instruments, including nail files, combs and cuticle clippers need to be sterilized after each and every use. The best way to do this is through heat sterilization, or autoclaving, but chemical sterilization is acceptable in most states as well. Just be sure that the label on the sterilization jar is marked “germicidal,” since some salons use glass cleaner to save money, and that the tools have been left in the solution for at least 10 minutes.

21. Dirty Sinks And Towels If the tools aren’t clean, the sinks and the towels probably aren’t clean, either. Always check the sink for hair and overall cleanliness before dunking your hair into it. Check the towels or robes that they may give you to be sure it wasn’t just used on the person before you. Things to look for include stains, rips and even hair. If you’re getting your nails done, look at the soaking bowls and foot baths. Both are breeding grounds for bacteria – foot baths trap hair and skin cells, and soaking bowls can easily collect germs from clients who have unclean hands. Be sure that they’re being disinfected or at least cleaned between customers. Ideally, salons should use plastic liners for this equipment, but if they don’t, ask for them to be lined with a plastic bag before soaking your fingers or toes. Skin Infection Sometimes potential health hazards at beauty salons can be a two-way street; this is the case when it comes to a skin infection. If you wax or shave your legs before getting a pedicure, you’ve now created entry points for any germs from the foot bath to enter, which can lead to a skin infection. If you know when you’re getting a pedicure, avoid removing the hair on your legs one day beforehand.

22. Fishy Feet A relatively new type of pedicure, called the fish pedicure, can also lead to infections. The fish pedicure consists of GarraRufa fish, also known as doctor fish, which eat the dead skin cells off your feet. However, putting your feet and legs into a fish bowl full of dead skin and other debris, particularly if you have cuts or sores on your legs, could lead to infection. Poor Ventilation With all of those harmful chemicals floating around in the air, it’s important that the salon has a good ventilation system. When those chemicals mix with the heat from the hair dryers, it can create fumes that irritate allergies, asthma and can cause headaches. Double-Dipped Wax If double-dipping a nacho chip in salsa is considered unsanitary, double-dipping a waxing stick in wax must be downright filthy. Germs and bacteria, not to mention skin and hair, can be transferred from the stick to the wax each time the stick is dipped. Always make sure that the person giving you the wax uses a new stick each time he or she dips.

23. UVA Exposure The gel manicure has risen in popularity, but the problem is that it can do more harm to your health that it can do good for your appearance. Early studies show that the UVA lights used during the manicure can potentially increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Filthy Hands If you haven’t seen the technician wash her hands before starting on your nails or preparing the wax, ask her to do so. Look at the technician’s hands and if you see any cuts or sores, ask her to put gloves on. It may seem intimidating to ask these questions or make all of these requests, but it’s important to remember that you are the client and you’re paying the people in the salon to do a service for you. If you wouldn’t eat in a dirty restaurant, you shouldn’t be willing to receive any type of beauty treatment from a potentially hazardous salon.

24. Client consultation forms

25. First Aid provision A first aid kit should be available and be stocked with useful items. Tablets and medication should not be kept in the kit. Suggested items include: Individually wrapped, sterile, adhesive dressings (assorted sizes) Different sizes of plasters (some workplaces don’t include plasters due to allergies but HSE has no restriction) 2 Sterile eye pads (and eye bath) 4 Individually wrapped, triangular bandages 6 medium-sized, 2 large size, individually wrapped wound dressings Pair of disposable gloves Antiseptic spray or cream Gauze, medical wipes and cotton wool Pair of tweezers Support should be provided to staff for if an accident should occur

26. Security in the Salon Possible risk areas include: the premises/doors/windows stock and products equipment money display materials personal safety staff/trainee belongings/clients’ belongings external security (windows, locks, CCTV) internal security: money, expensive equipment, stock and products: items on display/in use

27. How can security be improved? Suggested ways of improving security could include: Limit access to stock Do regular stock checks (daily for loss of stock, and weekly for stock ordering and rotation) Keep handbags away from stock area One member of staff responsible for topping up the treatment products from wholesale-sized containers Hold regular staff training http://www.webset-lms.com/vtct/Courses.aspx

28. Public/Professional Liability Insurance What is it and what is it for?

29. Homework Each week you will be required to undertake work at home. You will need to practise any make-up techniques you have learnt, but also you could be required to write answers to questions about what you have learnt, or to undertake an assignment or case study for which you will have to do some research. The assessor will give a deadline for the work – usually the following week. This week’s homework is about Risk Assessments.

30. At the end of the session Each week you will complete a Learner Log on which you will write what you have done that day What have you learnt about today? Next week your learning will include: how to prepare yourself, client and work area for make-up treatment how to use products, tools, equipment and techniques to suit client’s treatment needs