Hairdresser risks and hazards (2024)

FAQs

What are the hazards and risks in hair salons? ›

Safety hazards

Risk of cuts, bruises or burns from scissors, hairdryers, chemicals and other equipment. Slips, trips and falls from wet and untidy floors, strayed wires and obstructed floors. Electrical hazards. Fire hazards.

Exposure to toxic chemicals has been linked to worsening symptoms of anxiety and depression and a greater risk for dementia. Salon workers have a higher risk of dying from Alzheimer's disease, presenile dementia, and motor neuron disease.

The biological hazards that can threaten a hairdresser's health and safety include bacteria, viruses and fungi. So, consider the safety precautions you may implement to lessen the likelihood that these threats will arise. Maintain proper hand hygiene to reduce the risk of infections.

A beauty salon risk assessment is a document that you use to identify and eliminate the Health & Safety hazards in your beauty salon. The risk assessment is not only required by law but also helps you recognise specific risks.

Potential Risks in a Salon

Accidents can happen anywhere, but the chance of them is even higher in a beauty salon where you rely on sharp tools, water and chemicals to do your work. Some potential risks in a salon include: Slippery floors due to product spills and hair clippings. Burns from dryers and curling irons.

Plus, there's the risk of tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and shoulder aches. Hairstylists can wind up with "osteoarthritis from overuse/overexertion of specific joints; back pain and muscle spasms; [and] neck pain with possible tension-type headaches."

Lacerations from scissors, straight razors, and trimmers, and burns from curling irons and hair dryers, are just a few common hazards in a beauty salon. While some injuries are minor, others may require medical treatment to prevent infection and complications.

What are ergonomic hazards in a hair salon? ›

Ergonomic hazards

These are caused by standing for long hours, working in unnatural postures, performing repetitive tasks, heavy lifting, and enduring long hours. Hair salon owners should ensure that they design their salons ergonomically to avoid these issues.

Findings confirmed that the hairdressers were regularly exposed to lead. The mean blood mercury level was above the normal blood mercury concentration and close to the level associated with long-term exposure to mercury vapour. The mean urine arsenic level was above the normal range, but within high normal range.

People can be harmed by chemicals and other hazardous substances in a number of ways, including: contact with skin when mixing, applying or cleaning up. inhaling while mixing, applying or cleaning up. contact with a client's skin when being applied to their hair.

Unsanitised salons also contain germs that can cause disease or spread an infection, including common colds, flu and COVID-19, as well as those that are more serious. Slips, trips and falls – trailing wires, wet floors, spilled products and uneven surfaces can all encourage workplace slips, trips and falls.

Frequent washing of hands, equipment, and wet procedures increase the chance of dermatitis. Staff in beauty salons are also at risk of injury from blades, needles, and other sharp tools. Face masks, respirators, disposable aprons, and vinyl or nitrile gloves are essential in a beauty salon.

Workers exposed to chemicals found in glues, polishes, removers, emollients and other salon products may experience negative health effects such as asthma and other respiratory illnesses, skin disorders (e.g. allergic contact dermatitis), liver disease, reproductive loss, and cancer.

The most common injuries experienced by barber shop and beauty salon employees are: Slips, trips, and falls. Puncture wounds and cuts. Electrical and burn injuries.

In short, a hazard can cause harm. A risk is how likely it is to do so. The two terms work together to enable employers fully assess their working environment for potential dangers and prioritise them effectively.

The use of chemical products (dyes, bleaches, solvents) Air pollution (odours) Water use and wastewater disposal.