Guidance for re-opening your salon safely
Only allow the client booked in to attend the salon, do not allow children, partners or any one else to accompany them or wait in the reception area. Politely explain this is for the safety of staff and other clients. Consider taking pre-payments over the phone or online if possible, or alternatively take cash-less payments. Remember to sanitise the card payment machine after each use, even if a client has used contactless payment. Review your appointment policy and relay this to clients if it has changed; you may wish to consider your cancellation period and any refund policies to prevent clients attending appointments with COVID-19 symptoms.
Waiting / reception areas Only one client should be in a waiting area at a time, and this area should, as far as possible, only be used for transitioning from the reception area through to the treatment room. Ask clients to arrive on time for their appointment, not early explaining that there is no waiting area. If practical, keep your front door locked with a door bell system to prevent early clients from entering the salon. Remove any magazines, brochures, comments books etc from the area. Do not enable any unsupervised access to product samples etc. See Salon Hygiene for cleaning requirements.
Client Consultation As usual, carrying out a pre-treatment Consultation is vital (this is part of your ABT insurance requirements). Consider creating a digital form that clients can complete online prior to arrival to avoid handling papers and pens.
Salon refreshments If you choose to offer refreshments to clients, provide these in disposable cups. Following government guidance, you must limit the amount of contact between clients and staff, so removing the option of refreshments and inviting clients to bring their own drinks in their own travel cups etc would not be unreasonable.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) To date, the government has yet to issue direct guidance on what PPE should be worn by staff or clients in salons. Employers should provide staff with adequate PPE which can be disposed of safely. Clients should be asked to
provide their own PPE, although some salon owners may prefer to make PPE items available to clients on arrival. Masks: These should be worn by staff in the salon at all times. For adequate protection, choose fluid repellent masks such as N95, N99 or FFP-2 types. Clients may choose to wear their own mask in line with government guidance to wear face coverings in public places where social distancing is not possible (obviously treatments on the face will prevent this). Gloves: Single use gloves should be provided for staff to wear whilst carrying out treatments. Gloves are not a replacement for hand washing. They should be replaced regularly, and definitely between treatments. Always ensure that any tools can be handled correctly whilst gloves are being worn. Aprons: Single use aprons should be provided, which should be changed and disposed of after every treatment. Eye Protection / Visors: The wearing of eye protection and/or full face visors is a personal choice. Little is known about transmission of COVID-19 via the eyes. Full face visors may protect transmission through the eyes, nose and mouth. Choose an item that is comfortable to wear, and does not impede eyesight, with a visor that can be cleaned with alcohol-based sanitiser between clients and a head band that can be washed daily. Screens: Installing transparent cough or sneeze screens on areas such as the reception desk and nail tables, similar to those now seen at supermarket checkouts, to create a physical barrier between staff and clients is an option. However, it’s important to remember that these will need sanitising like any other hard surface between each client using an alcohol-based cleanser.
Uniforms Wearing uniforms in a salon can unite a team and deliver a professional appearance. However, it’s important that your chosen salon workwear is practical for today’s needs; staff need to wear a clean uniform every day, whether it’s a traditional salon uniform or branded T-shirts. Staff should change into their salon uniform on arrival at work, and not travel to work wearing it, especially if they are using public transport. Uniforms should be covered with a disposable plastic apron, changed between clients. Workwear must be machine washed at the end of every
This information is advisory only and has been produced to assist members, it’s by no means exhaustive nor a set of rules that must be followed. You do not need to adhere to all the points within to be insured, quite simply – provided you are operating legally in line with Government and local authority guidelines, the policy will respond to allegations of negligence against the policyholder. The information is based upon opinion, expertise and public knowledge as of 1.6.2020; it has not been issued by the Irish Government (www.gov.ie). Please check the government website for the latest updates and ensure that you are complying with government guidance. This information does not constitute legal requirement. ABT do not incur any liability for this information.
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