Hairdressers

Health and Safety
Executive
Example risk assessment for a hairdressing salon

Setting the scene
How was the risk assessment done?
The salon owner carried out the risk assessment in

their business, which employs eight staff, working a
variety of full- and part-time shifts.
The manager followed the guidance in Five steps to risk

assessment (www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf).
2 The owner then wrote down who could be harmed by

the hazards and how.
1 To identify the hazards, the salon owner:
3 For each hazard, the owner wrote down what controls,

if any, were in place to manage these hazards. She
then compared these controls to the guidance she had
read. Where existing controls were not good enough,
the owner wrote down what else needed to be done to
control the risks.
The salon is open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, six days a

week. The premises consist of the salon, a stock room
and a staff room with chairs, a kettle and a fridge.
Important reminder
This example risk assessment is to show you the

kind of approach a small business can take. Use it
as a guide to think through the hazards in your salon
and the steps you need to take to control the risks.
It is not a generic risk assessment that you can just
put your company name on and adopt wholesale
without any thought. That would not satisfy the law
and would not be effective in protecting people.
Every business is different you need to think
through the hazards in your premises and the
controls you need for yourself.
Example risk assessment: Hairdressing salon
looked at HSEs Essentials of health and safety at

work publication, to learn where hazards can occur, A
Guide to the Health and Safety of Salon Hair Products
provided by her supplier, and HSEs Bad Hand Day
web pages on dermatitis;
walked around the salon, the stock room and all other
areas, noting things that might pose a risk and thinking
about what was in the HSE guidance. Occasional
activities, such as receiving deliveries and stacking
stock, were also taken into account;
talked to the staff to about health and safety issues and
concerns in the salon;
looked at the accident book, to understand what has
previously resulted in incidents.
4 Putting the risk assessment into practice, the owner

discussed the findings with staff and pinned the risk
assessment up on the notice board for all staff to see.
5 The owner decided to review and update the risk
assessment every year, or straightaway if major
changes happened at the salon.
With thanks to the National Hairdressing Federation, Habia, Jackie Hewson at Wella Professionals and Ann Seviour, Occupational
Health and Safety Officer, Guildford Borough Council, for their help in developing this example risk assessment.
1 of 4 pages
Health and Safety

Executive
Company name: Smiths Hair Salon Date of risk assessment: 1/7/07
What are the hazards?
Who might be harmed

and how?
Wet hand work,

eg washing hair, working
with wet hair
Staff may suffer from

dermatitis, increased
sensitivity, severely dry
skin
What are you already doing?
Hairdressing products and

chemicals
All products, eg bleaches,
colouring, perm solutions,
sterilising liquid, cleaning
chemicals (see below
for specific additional
precautions)
Lightening (bleach)
product
Hydrogen peroxide
(developer/neutraliser)
Oxidative colourants
Staff and customers may

get eye or skin irritation
Non-latex gloves are provided if staff want

them.
Staff are trained to dry their hands thoroughly
and moisturise between wet jobs.
Non-perfumed hand cream is provided for
staff.
What further action is necessary?
Done
Staff will wear gloves for all wet work.
Owner and staff
15/7/07
11/7/07
Owner will get different size gloves, to fit all staff.
Owner and staff
15/7/07
11/7/07
Staff will be asked to remove hand jewellery at

beginning of shift.
Owner and staff
15/7/07
11/7/07
Owner will look at www.hse.gov.uk/hairdressing/

and www.habia.org/
Owner and staff
15/7/07
11/7/07
Staff check and follow instructions on supplier

information sheets.
Staff wear non-latex gloves when mixing and
using product, and when washing up bowls etc.
Salon and stockroom well ventilated.
Clients must be well-protected with single-use
towels.
Owner to buy eye baths in case of splashing

incidents.
Owner
31/7/07
25/7/07
Staff always to check with customers for

discomfort.
Staff
31/7/07
25/7/07
No chemicals to be stored above eye level
Staff
15/7/07
15/7/07
Owner
1/8/07 and
then every
3 months
1/8/07
Manager and
staff
31/5/07
25/5/07

get eye, skin or breathing
irritation or allergy
Only purchasing non-dusty bleaches.
Owner will check with staff for skin/allergy

problems every 3 months.

get eye or skin irritation
Staff trained to use recommended

concentrations. Stored away from light, heat
and other products.
None

get eye or skin irritation.
Low likelihood of serious
allergic reaction.
Staff check with customers for history of allergy

to colour and any damage to scalp. If yes,
hair is not coloured unless the client has got
doctors advice.
Staff to perform skin allergy tests as per

manufacturers instructions 48 hours before
treatment.
Action by whom? Action by

when?
2 of 4 pages
Health and Safety

Executive
Who might be harmed

and how?
Slips and trips
Staff and clients may be

injured if they trip over
objects or trailing wires,
or slip on hair/spillages/
wet floors.
Staff could get electrical

shocks or burns, and
there is a fire hazard,
from using wet or faulty
electrical equipment.
Electricity
Standing for long periods
Fire
Staff may suffer

musculoskeletal injuries,
eg back pain, neck or
shoulder injuries and
painor discomfort in feet
andlegs.
If trapped in salon
or other areas, eg
stockroom, staff and
clients could suffer from
smoke inhalation and
burns.

when?
Done
Salon kept tidy.

Cut hair swept up promptly.
Any water/products spilt cleaned up
immediately.
Matting provided for use at shop entrance.
No trailing cables.
Staff wear appropriate shoes.
Staff reminded to check routinely for spills, and

to use paper towels/cloths to clean up, not a wet
mop.
Manager and
staff
31/5/07
25/5/07
Check floor surface remains in good condition,

when replacement needed consider flooring with
better slip-resistant properties.
Owner
31/5/07
and every
year
25/5/07
Staff report to manager any damaged plugs or

cable.
Staff know where the fuse box is and how to
turn the electricity off in emergencies.
Hairdryers and other electrical equipment
stored and used away from water and only
used with dry hands.
Electrical equipment bought only from reliable
source.
Owner to do visual check of plugs, sockets and

cables every six months.
Owner
11/5/07
and twice
a year
7/5/07
Manager to ensure all electrical equipment stored

away from water.
Manager
11/5/07
4/5/07
All shop electrics to be checked by an electrician

every five years, water thermostats every year.
Owner
30/6/07
20/6/07
Client chairs are fully adjustable.

Sinks designed to minimise twisting.
Wheeled stools provided for staff to use while
cutting.
Owner to look at rotas to confirm all staff take

regular breaks.
Owner
31/5/07
25/5/07
Owner to check conditions suitable to individual

circumstances, eg pregnant workers, and adjust to
suit person.
Owner
31/5/07
25/5/07
Fire risk assessment done, as per guidance at

www.communities.gov.uk/fire and necessary
action taken.
No aerosols or flammable products will be

displayed in the window.
Owner
1/6/07
6/6/07
3 of 4 pages
Health and Safety

Executive
Who might be harmed

and how?
Blades and sharp

instruments
Cuts and grazes to staff

and clients. Possible
blood transmission from
one person to another;
risk of blood-borne
infection.

when?
Done
All sharp implements cleaned with sterilising

liquid after each use.
Sterilising liquid changed daily and follow
makers dilution instructions.
Disposable blades used wherever possible and
disposed of immediately in sharps box.
First-aid box kept stocked.
Owner to introduce spot checks to ensure staff are

following sterilising procedures (including spraying
clipper heads).
Owner
30/6/07
Staff will wear gloves if dealing with nicks or cuts.
Staff
15/7/07
15/7/07
Owner/manager
3/7/07
3/7/07
Moving furniture, heavy

lifting
Staff may suffer

musculoskeletal injuries
Staff know not to lift unless necessary and to

test weights with foot before lifting.
None
Lone working
Staff alone in salon may

suffer verbal or physical
assault
Staff know to lock up when working alone.
Call-in to owner/manager system to confirm when

left salon to be instigated.
Assessment review date: 1/7/08

Published by the Health and Safety Executive
4 of 4 pages
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Health and Safety

Example risk assessment for a hairdressing salon

How was the risk assessment done?

The salon owner carried out the risk assessment in

The manager followed the guidance in Five steps to risk

2 The owner then wrote down who could be harmed by

1 To identify the hazards, the salon owner:

3 For each hazard, the owner wrote down what controls,

The salon is open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, six days a

This example risk assessment is to show you the

Example risk assessment: Hairdressing salon

looked at HSEs Essentials of health and safety at

4 Putting the risk assessment into practice, the owner

Health and Safety

Company name: Smiths Hair Salon Date of risk assessment: 1/7/07

What are the hazards?

Who might be harmed

Wet hand work,

Staff may suffer from

What are you already doing?

Hairdressing products and

Staff and customers may

Non-latex gloves are provided if staff want

What further action is necessary?

Staff will wear gloves for all wet work.

Owner and staff

Owner will get different size gloves, to fit all staff.

Owner and staff

Staff will be asked to remove hand jewellery at

Owner and staff

Owner will look at www.hse.gov.uk/hairdressing/

Owner and staff

Staff check and follow instructions on supplier

Owner to buy eye baths in case of splashing

Staff always to check with customers for

No chemicals to be stored above eye level

Staff and customers may

Only purchasing non-dusty bleaches.

Owner will check with staff for skin/allergy

Staff and customers may

Staff trained to use recommended

Staff and customers may

Staff check with customers for history of allergy

Staff to perform skin allergy tests as per

Example risk assessment: Hairdressing salon

Action by whom? Action by

Health and Safety

What are the hazards?

Who might be harmed

Slips and trips

Staff and clients may be

Staff could get electrical

What are you already doing?

Standing for long periods

Staff may suffer

Example risk assessment: Hairdressing salon

What further action is necessary?

Action by whom? Action by

Salon kept tidy.