Salons urged to review health and safety practices as new fines come into effect

The NHF is urging hairdressing and beauty businesses to review their health and safety practices as a tough new regime of fines for offences is due to come into force from today (1 February).

Salon owners are encouraged to make use of the Federation’s new health and safety ‘box’ toolkit, which is designed to help salons stay on top of this vitally important issue.

Fines will now be based on the turnover of a business found guilty of committing an offence, not their profit, with firms split into four bands based on turnover, starting from “micro” (turnover up to £2m) up to large (more than £50m). 

For micro businesses, fines for the worst offences will now start from £450,000, but for the most serious offences of all, fines could be as steep as £10m for health and safety breaches and £20m for corporate manslaughter (where an employee or customer has died or been killed by a health and safety failing). 

NHF chief executive Hilary Hall said: “These new fines and sentencing guidelines should serve as a wake-up call to all salons that health and safety is something that needs to be taken seriously.  Business owners need to provide their teams with guidelines and training so they know what to do in case of emergencies, how to reduce risk and improve the working environment for everyone who works in or visits the salon or barbershop. 

“Toolkits like our health and safety box can be a quick and easy way of knowing you have everything you need in one place and sending a clear message to your team that their safety, health and wellbeing is something you take seriously.”

Available to members and non-members, the NHF’s health and safety box includes:

• A copy of the NHF’s guide Health and Safety for Hair Salons and Barber Shops.
• A set of risk assessment template documents.
• A template document of a health and safety policy.
• A health and safety guide for employees/workers.
• A first aid kit.
• A health and safety poster and fire safety notice.
• A sign showing the location of the first aid box and accident book for recording any injuries or accidents.
• A copy of the NHF’s Guide to Allergy Alert Testing and Colour Products plus a sample record card.
• A health and safety guide to hair products.

Tel: 01234 83 1965; Nhf.info

The Sentencing Council guidelines can be found at Sentencingcouncil.org.uk