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Beauty Salon Safety & Sanitation Rules


Operating a salon requires a great deal of care and consideration into everyday aspects of the business. Whether you provide hair care, nail care, or body care services, it is expected that you are aware of the safety & sanitation procedures needed to conduct the best services possible. In order to ensure proper care of your clients, employees, and the establishment itself, there needs to be attention paid to these procedures on a day-to-day basis.

Beauty Salon Safety

Keeping your establishment safe should be a priority for you and your staff as it communicates the trustworthiness your clients should have towards your salon. Practicing safe procedures also ensures that you make the most of your salon equipment's life and that you keep your business running as long as you possibly can. In the salon business, there are several major hazards that you will need to caution yourself against and those are: fire-related incidents, burglary, and accidents within the salon space.

In order to protect your salon furniture and salon equipment from fire-related incidents, there are several factors to consider: Set up an intruder alarm detection system with codes for your establishment.
  1. When deciding to put combustible materials (aerosol cans of hairspray, solutions containing alcohol, etc.) in waste bins, make certain that these bins are a good distance from regularly used electrical equipment. Have your staff of employees undergo fire hazard training.
  2. Make certain that they know where the fire extinguisher is located as well as procedures to follow when a fire does arise. Prohibit smoking indoors. If your establishment allows smoking on the facade of the business, provide a metal-lidded bin for their disposal of ashtray contents.
  3. Unplug salon equipment not currently in use to avoid short-circuiting. Do this when you close the salon every night. Have a qualified electrician come by regularly for maintenance purposes.
  4. Avoid using portable heaters with naked flames or exposed, radiant, hot surfaces.
  5. Never directly heat alcoholic solutions like acetone to make them work faster--instead, use a warm bowl of water to do the heating indirectly.
  6. Keep all combustible materials not currently being used, in a locked, dry cabinet.
Protecting your salon from crime can be easy if all staff members are aware of safety procedures and abide by them on a regular basis. Care and caution every day can lessen your chances of being burglarized. Here are some helpful tips:
  1. Set up an intruder alarm detection system with codes for your establishment.
  2. Ensure your locks are working with a locksmith on a monthly basis. Permit key duplication with your own personal discretion.
  3. Put away any costly electronic equipment that may tempt intruders in back storage closets in order to make your space less appealing to intruders.
  4. Have at least two employees open and close the business every day.
  5. Install a surveillance camera behind the cash register.
  6. Keep a low balance in the cash register. When making a bank deposit, vary the times that this is done.
Little accidents are common to most businesses, but you will want to work to lessen these instances as there is likely to be a great deal of foot traffic flowing in and out of your salon. Protecting your clients & staff from accidents is possible with the following tips:
  1. Keep the floors as neat and tidy as possible. Encourage your staff to clean after each client has left. If this is not possible because of the traffic your establishment receives on a regular basis, have one of your staff members be designated to manage the floor that particular day (this works best on a rotation).
  2. Repair damaged floor coverings immediately--this is not only a major safety risk, it is unsightly for everyone (especially your clients!).
  3. Have on hand a first-aid kit at all times.
  4. Post safety procedures on a discreet wall of your establishment and ensure that your staff know the necessary steps.
  5. Repair or replace (if necessary) damaged salon equipment in order to avoid accidents. You will want to uphold the best safety standards possible in your establishment and keeping your salon equipment in amazing shape is a large part of that.
Beauty Salon Sanitation

Cleaning and general upkeep should be a part of your everyday operations, however, there are aspects of sanitation within a service-oriented business that even the most careful business owners overlook. Sanitation is important for your ratings as a business, but most importantly, it is important for your clients, your team of staff, and the salon equipment itself. Your attention to the client's health is crucial because it reassures their confidence in your establishment. If they are aware of the high standards you set, they will likely come back as well as recommend their friends. Here are some pointers on how to better communicate the dedication you have towards your client's health:
  1. Talk through with your client the sanitation and disinfection procedures as you perform them; this encourages your client to be more knowledgeable and build their confidence in your part regarding their personal safety.
  2. Clean & disinfect tools between clients with EPA approved disinfectants. Use disposable tools and towels when possible and give them to your clients upon departure. This keeps processes clean and they leave with a token of your salon.
  3. Maintain regular cleaning procedures with your staff and have them record dates of completion. This enables you to obtain better control on what standards your establishment is able to uphold.
  4. Foot spas should be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed after the use of each client (read more on how to, below under salon equipment care).
  5. Use techniques and processes that prevent cross-contamination of creams, lotions, make-up products, wax pots, etc. For example, using a pump to dispense the lotion lowers the risk of contamination.
A team of strong, healthy staff members is something every salon can pride itself on. Protecting your staff's health is a large part of your responsibility as the owner and you can easily set great examples by providing the initial framework for safety at work.
  1. When applicable, have your staff wear protective eyewear and facemasks during certain procedures in order to ensure that there is no transmission of germs.
  2. Practice good personal hygienic habits like frequent hand washing.
  3. If they have injuries like cuts on their hands, make it a requirement to wear nitrile gloves (as latex & vinyl are permeable to many nail product ingredients) for their safety and the client's. Change these gloves after every client.
  4. Have exhaust vent systems embedded in your work tables as well as wall or ceiling-mounted exhaust systems in order to exchange indoor air with fresh air. This should remedy most of the problem with harmful inhalation of chemicals.
  5. Transfer bulk cosmetic products to smaller, manageable containers in order to protect staff members against exposures to large amounts of chemicals often. This also reduces the instance of spillage.
  6. Prohibit eating & drinking at the stations. Instead, provide a designated break room for dining.
Protecting the life of your salon equipment
  1. When washing tools with soap & water, make certain that the residue of soap is gone before putting the tools in Barbicide, as it tends to work less effectively.
  2. Using an autoclave is becoming more and more commonplace in establishments. An autoclave is a tool that is commonly used by medical professionals as it sterilizes tools using heat and pressure. The autoclave removes all air from the chamber and heats up to 250 degrees, killing all viruses, spores, and bacteria.
  3. To disinfect and treat portable and whirlpool footbaths, Sani tablets make the job all the more easy. It also reduces hard water deposits, which extends the life of your spa machine. Sani tablets are EPA approved and will not harm the skin or cause discoloration.

Lastly, there are several regulations needed to have your salon pass its safety and sanitation guidelines. The regulations usually vary state by state, so you can find that information by clicking here. Additionally, there is an important nail salon guide posted by the EPA that is worth reviewing. You can find that document by clicking here.

If you would like information about salon licensing within the state of New York, click here. Prominently display your certificates and inspection reports on the walls of your establishment so that salon goers will be aware of what an immaculate space you keep and how dedicated you are to your work, your staff, and the clients.

Check this month’s Clearance & Specials section to purchase sanitation products like Barbicide at a low cost. 

Print | posted on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:31 AM