Health and Safety
Health and Safety
There are many workplace hazards in the hairdressing, nail and beauty industry that can create health and safety risks for you, your workers and/or your clients.
Some of these hazards - and requirements or suggestions for their prevention or mitigation - are addressed either generically or specifically by OSH regulations and guidelines. Others are more specific to the beauty industry, and the NZARH has prepared and published valuable material on these hazards and risks.
Think 'HHS'
Good 'HHS' (hairdressing health and safety) starts with thoughtful, safety-conscious and ergonomic salon layout, furniture and fittings, says Imre Rapcsak, managing director of Total Beauty Supplies (TBS).
"Each of these three factors can have a positive - or negative - effect on employee safety and physical health. Naturally, a salon should be set up in such a way that there are no sharp edges, blind corners, physical obstacles or items, such as power cords, that could trip or tangle the feet of a worker. And, workers should be able to move quickly and easily from place to place, task to task."
Coming: Model salon layouts
"At TBS, we've been paying special attention to the layout factor, and we will shortly introduce a series of 'model' setups to help salon operators create better floor and fitting plans, or improve their existing working conditions from health and safety perspectives."
Imre travels abroad at least once a year to attend exhibitions, visit furniture and equipment suppliers, and stay abreast of the latest trends and developments in the beauty and haircare industry.
The fruits of this ongoing research are promptly made available to local salons through TBS. Among the the latest arrivals:
- New designs in height-adjustable client chairs
- Mobile, adjustable stylist stools
- New free-standing basins
- New, safer, more ergonomic dryers
- Trolley tables and shelves to take tools and materials to the workstation and reduce operator travel
- Offset and advanced offset scissors that maximise thumb pressure where it counts, reduce hand/finger strain and allow better arm positioning when cutting
- Advanced cleaning and sterilising materials, such as Barbicide Disinfectant, which is proven effective againt HIV-1, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
"We're heavily invested in providing state-of-the-art 'HHS' solutions to help salon operators both meet their OSH obligations, avoid complaints or even legal action, and provide safer, healthier and more pleasant environments for employees and clients alike," says Imre Rapcsak.
"And, we welcome inquiries about or requests for detailed information on the items mentioned above or any other furniture, equipment or materials."
For further information contact the TBS team
