With both staff and members of the public likely to be anxious about their health for some time to come in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, it’s vital now more than ever to ensure that you prioritize health & safety and employee wellbeing in your salon.
Under the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005, employers have a general duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees, clients, visitors and others who may be affected by their business activities.
From a legal point of view, this means carrying out a risk assessment and preparing a safety statement that reflects any risks present in your premises.
Before the crisis, salon owners already had their hands full making sure they complied with health & safety regulations. There are numerous areas that a salon business needs to bear in mind from a health and safety risk assessment point of view.
While the following is not an exhaustive list, the law requires you to assess risks around adequate ventilation, appropriate workplace temperatures, proper lighting, removal of waste, sanitary washing facilities, workstation and seating setup, access routes, and fire safety.
Your risk assessment also needs to include a review of any risks that are specific to your particular premises.
As we prepare to reopen salons in the wake of the crisis, there are now a whole new set of risks to take into account. How will social distancing effect treatments for clients? How do I protect vulnerable staff?
What Personal Protective Equipment will be required? What disinfecting measures do I need to take? Your employees are also likely to need more reassurance that they are working in a safe environment.
The crisis does not remove your obligation to provide training to staff on how to minimize health & safety risks or the obligation to keep accident records. For all these reasons, I think health & safety is going to inform all business decisions as we emerge from this crisis.
Health & safety is a minefield that’s difficult to navigate alone. To get this right first time, I suggest having a zero-obligation chat with Avril Donnelly of Peninsula, who will be able to advise and help you get on the right path. Better yet, Avril can advise both Irish and UK businesses.
We work with an exclusive health and safety consultancy who can assist you with all of your needs.
Call Avril Donnelly today on M: +353 (0) 879826836 or email:
Avril.donnelly@peninsula-ie.com
