Hair, nails and beauty industry
Contents
- Burns and cuts
- Electricity
- Getting tired
- Hazardous substances
- Workplace air quality
- Dermatitis
- Radiation
- Lasers
- Slips trips and falls
- Violence and aggression
Burns and cuts
Burns and cuts are the easiest and most obvious ways you can hurt yourself in the hairdressing and beauty industry.
What should you do if you get burnt?
- run cool water over the burn
- do not remove any clothing that is stuck to the burn
How can you avoid cuts and burns?
- you must be properly trained and supervised when dealing with equipment that can cause these injuries
- follow instructions and pay attention
- your employer should have safety rules when working with hairdryers, straighteners, scissors, clippers and dangerous chemicals
- turn off equipment at the power supply before cleaning
- make sure equipment is cool before cleaning
- cut away from your body
- keep scissors and clippers sharp
- always carry scissors with the blade pointing downwards
Electricity
Electric shocks happen when a person becomes part of an electrical circuit and the current flows through their body. Incidents with electricity are usually caused by a lack of experience, training or supervision, broken equipment or dangerous work conditions.
It is the employer's responsibility to make sure electrical equipment is in good working order and regularly checked.
What should you watch out for?
- frayed or broken electrical cords
- very long leads
- overheating machines
- over loaded power boards
- water around plugs and electrical equipment
How can you stay safe around electricity?
- always leave repairs to the experts
- use equipment properly. Check instructions and follow them
- report any faults straight away
- regularly check and clean the equipment that you use
- switch off appliances at the power point before you pull out the plug. Electrical equipment can still partially operate without being plugged in due to stored energy. When you turn off the main power supply, just leave the equipment switched on for a while to release the stored energy
- don't overload power boards with lots of electrical appliances
- keep electrical cords off the floor
- report any breakdowns or faulty equipment to your boss
Employers, or owners of premises should have residual current devices (safety switches) installed to reduce the risk of electric shock and electrocution.
Getting tired
Beauty can be very tiring. You’re on your feet all day, bending and reaching over all the time – no wonder you get exhausted! But there are some things you can do to make yourself less likely to collapse at the end of the day.
- sit down to do some jobs, preferably on a specially designed stool or chair
- they might not be the most fashionable shoes of all time but low-heeled, closed toe and rubber soled shoes will help you feel more comfortable and less tired.
- take breaks. Your employer should give time for regular rest breaks and give you different things to do during the day
- talk to your employer if you have problems doing any of your jobs.
To reduce fatigue in the industry, an adjustable chair or treatment table may be provide for the client. Make sure you adjust it up or down so:
- the client is comfortable
- you are not stooping or stretching to reach the client Remember: You should speak up if your job is too heavy, difficult, tiring or hurts you.
More information on this topic can be found in the Working hours code of practice
Hazardous substances
What is a hazardous substance?
A hazardous substance is any solid, dust, liquid or gas that may cause harm to you. Things like:
- hair dyes
- hair spray
- perm solutions
- bleaches
- shampoos
- hair styling agents
- nail and skin care products
- acrylics, polishes and removers
- Ethyl methacrylate (EMA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) used to attach artificial fingernails.
- brow and lash tints
- chemical peels
- peroxides
- wax solvents disinfectants and cleaning products
When handling these substances you should wear gloves, protective hand creams and aprons.
They must be used according to:
- the manufacturer's instructions.
- the material safety data sheets.
- the safe work procedures.
Why are hazardous substances a problem?
They aren't a problem most of the time but things can go horribly wrong if:
- you get them on your skin.
- you eat or drink them by mistake.
- breathe them in via sprays and solutions.
- mix substances so they become lethal.
- mistake one substance for another.
How can you keep safe?
- replace a substance with an alternative product that contains a less hazardous substance.
- do not use products that are known to contribute to dermatitis or cause sensitisation, such as:
- formaldehyde/formalin (present in low concentration in some shampoos as a preservative)
- p-phenylene diamine and paratoluene diamine (present in some hair colours and tints - also known as PPD and PTD)
- glycerol monothioglycolate (present in some 'acid' permanent wave solutions - also known as GMTG)
- thioglycolic acid (present in some hair straighteners)
- do not use nickel-plated equipment with permanent wave solutions containing ammonium thioglycolate. Use high quality stainless steel or plastic equipment.
- do not use products containing liquid methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer.
- replace pressurised aerosol containers, with pump sprays, eg. pressurised wrap catalyst, hairsprays.
- always make sure you read the labels.
- don't put hazardous substances into recycled drink or food containers.
- follow all directions on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). An MSDS tells you about a hazardous substance and how to use it safely.
- use PPE (gloves, apron, mask) when handling them.
- attend training about hazardous substances.
More information:
- Hazardous substances
- Guidance note: Material Safety Data Sheets
Workplace air quality
Good ventilation can get rid of the fumes and chemical smell that builds up in a salon.
- Do strong odours linger for more than 10 minutes?
- Can strong odours be detected at a distance from the source (ie the other side of the room)?
- Do you still smell product odours when you open the salon in the morning?
- Do the walls ever 'sweat' with moisture or the windows become foggy?
- Do clients complain of offensive odours?
If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, the ventilation at your workplace could need improvement.
This includes:
- open windows
- extraction fans
- an air-conditioning that brings in fresh air
Dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is an inflammation that occurs when a substance comes into contact with skin. The skin is irritated and there is an abnormal (allergic) reaction. The skin may be red, swollen, tender, hot, painful or itchy. If the reaction is severe, the skin may blister or weep and can become cracked or crusty.
Your employer should provide gloves and special hand creams to prevent dermatitis. Workers should always use them
Use the right gloves
Powdered latex gloves are often used when handling dyes. Latex proteins can be absorbed into cornstarch powder inside the gloves that makes it easier to put them on and may cause an allergic reaction in some people. Workers who use latex gloves frequently can develop a severe latex allergy even if they were previously not allergic. Powder free latex gloves reduce this risk, however better still are latex free gloves such as nitrile gloves.
For more information on glove selection go to the WorkSafe bulletin Glove-selection use and maintenance.
Clean equipment properly
All equipment must be cleaned as soon as it is used. A special area should be set aside for cleaning, and plastic or nitrile gloves worn during the entire process. To clean equipment, always:
- pre rinse equipment in cold water;
- wash in tepid water and detergent taking extra care with hard-to-reach areas. Hold the item under water and carefully scrub with a clean brush;
- equipment which cannot be washed must be wiped clean with 70 per cent alcohol on a clean cotton pad; and
- dry and store in a dust-free environment.
Radiation
Workers may be exposed to various forms of non-ionising radiation.
| Type of Radiation | Source | Health Effects |
| Ultraviolet radiation | UV tanning equipment (sun lamps, beds and tanning booths) gel lights used by nail technicians |
short term - sunburn, conjunctivitis long term - premature skin aging, skin cancer and cataracts |
| Infra-red radiation |
infra-red heat lamps used in deep heat treatments infra-red hair dryers |
burns to skin and eye tissue |
| Lasers | beauty industry treatments such as skin exfoliation and hair removal |
skin damage eye damage, including blindness |
| Ultrasound | beauty industry heat treatment and skin exfoliation | overheating and burning of body tissue |
Controlling the risk
Install special cubicles to carry out UV and laser treatments to prevent accidental exposure to radiation. If this is not possible install screens around tanning equipment that either do not transmit light or comply with Australian Standards.
Consult the supplier of laser equipment about the construction of screens capable of stopping the laser beam.
Provide workers with instruction and training on the health effects associated with radiation exposure and the safe use of equipment.
Make sure workers use equipment according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Make sure workers display signs warning other persons that radiation-emitting equipment is in use.
Make sure workers do not exceed the recommended times for treatments.
Make sure workers and clients wear goggles that meet Australian Standards at all times UV and laser equipment is in use.
For laser treatments, remove or cover all items with smooth reflecting surfaces, such as mirrors, bottles, polished metal and jewellery, with matt black paper or cloth.
Make sure the light in the laser work area is as bright as possible to constrict the diameter of the pupil of the eye and reduce the risk of damage to the retina.
Lasers
The most common injury caused by lasers is immediate, permanent damage to sight. Burns to the retina can result in partial or total loss of vision in the injured eye.
Because of the high risk of severe injury, beauty technicians should carefully consider whether they want to offer laser treatments. The risk of laser burns to the eye can be minimised by the following:
- Choose the lowest power laser that will do the job.
- Appoint a laser safety officer if lasers higher than Class 3A are used. The laser safety officer should design a safe system of use to prevent the accidental exposure of the eye to lasers, and train and supervise laser operators.
- Lasers higher than Class 3A must only be used in specially constructed areas with interlocking doors so that the laser beam shuts off when the door is opened.
- There is no justification for the use of Class 4 lasers in beauty therapy. These lasers are powerful enough to cause retinal damage in microseconds from reflected and direct exposure. They can also cause skin burns and fires.
Slips, trips and falls
What's going to cause you to slip or trip?
- hair, water, nail dust and clippings or chemicals on the floor
- uneven floor surfaces like cracked tiles
- steps and different floor levels
- equipment and trolleys left in the way
- clothing caught on furniture or appliances
- poor lighting
- wearing the wrong shoes
What's going to cause you to fall?
- wrong use of steps or ladders
- exposure to chemicals that make you lose your balance
- being hit by a moving object
How can you prevent slips, trips or falls at work?
- clean up your workplace so there is nothing to fall over.
- clean up spills straight away.
- use mats on slippery floors.
- have ramps instead of steps.
- wear the right shoes for work: closed toe, rubber soled, low heeled and comfortable, even if they aren't fashionable.
Violence and aggression
Working with the public puts you at a higher risk of being involved in a violent situation. You're more at risk if you:
- handle money
- provide a service
- deal with complaints
- work alone
- work late or early (unsocial hours)
Remenber: Violence is not just a physical attack. It can include verbal abuse too.
How can you protect yourself?
- Install a wide reception desk so clients can not reach over to the cash register drawer.
- Install a device to alert you to people entering the workplace, eg. mirrors, alarm systems, bell on the door.
- Make sure the reception desk is visible from all other parts of the salon.
- Make sure there is good visibility into the workplace (remove items such as promotional material and posters from windows).
- Make sure all potential access points outside the view of staff, such as back door and windows, are secure at all times.
- only keep a small amount of cash in the till.
- encourage cashless transactions.
- have signs that tell customers that only small amounts of cash are kept in the salon.
- only open the till when necessary.
- count cash in a secure and private room.
- have a secure and organised banking system. If you have to do banking, let your workmates know you are going to the bank and at what time you expect to be back.
- have more than one person open and close the salon.
- check for suspicious people and vehicles before entering and leaving your workplace.
- lock up the safe and salon properly.
- if you’re working on your own make sure you can get in contact with people
- get training on how to spot early signs of violent behaviour and how you can deal with it.
- have emergency numbers handy.
More information on this topic can be found in the Violence aggression and bullying code of practice