An Evaluation of Health and Safety Management Practices in the Hairdressing Industry
Salon Management
Hours of Work and Recovery Breaks
Hairdressing includes tasks with repetitive movements. The movements are not forceful but the rate of movement can be very rapid and may exceed a hundred a minute.
The body - particularly the muscles, tendons and joints - requires time to recover from rapid movement. Scientific investigations have resulted in the general idea that different sorts of breaks are required to allow this recovery:
- Micropauses - a few seconds every few minutes. This allows blood flow to be restored in the smaller muscles involved in the repetitive activity and that have either been held tight or have been contracting rhythmically. Exercises
- Two minutes every twenty - to allow the larger postural muscles to get relief from holding the body in the same position all the time
- 10 - 20 minutes every hour or 2 hours - to allow.
- The effectiveness of these breaks can be increased by doing the exercises listed - and as explained in Appendix C.
Fatigue will occur as the shift proceeds. Fatigue can affect responding to clients' needs and interests, accuracy of tool use, and work pace.
Taking breaks before fatigue sets in, that is from the beginning of the day, reduces the likelihood of the onset of fatigue. This is greatly preferred to waiting until fatigue occurs before taking a break.
Hairdressers need to recognise the need to manage their rate of work and to take micro pauses and breaks.
At the end of the day, a good night's sleep is essential for muscle, tendon and joint recovery.
A hairdresser has some control during the shift over the workload and recovery time for the muscles and tendons of their body.
When pain occurs the hairdresser is the person that feels the pain.
Regular intakes of liquid and food are needed to allow the body to function effectively and to ward off fatigue.
Observations
- Hairdressers work up to 12 hours a day on Thursdays and Fridays.
- Salons are open on Saturday. Most close on Sunday. Many close on Monday.
- The pace of work is intense when the salon is busy.
- 'No appointment' salons have higher peaks and lows.
- Breaks: A common practice is for a ten minute break every 3 hours and a half hour lunch break up to 6 hours into the shift. Frequently, no time for a dinner break or other food intake is allowed for on late nights.
- More frequent breaks are taken when the salon is not busy.
- Once discomfort or pain occurs then this is most likely to continue for the rest of the day.
Risks
- The risks of discomfort, pain and injury are increased with longer hours and inadequate breaks.
Interventions
- Limit staff to an 8 hour day whenever possible.
- Management largely determines the hours of work and tea and lunch breaks.
- The present practice is likely to increase the risk of MSD and fatigue.
- See the Appendix on breaks and exercises.
- The practice of 2 hours work followed by a 15 minute or 30 minute break should be followed - (as opposed to a 3 hour stretch).
- Hairdressers should be asked about when they need to take additional breaks. Individual needs vary.
- There are salons where hairdressers work a maximum of 8 hours a day.
- There are salons where some hairdressers work only on Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturdays. This practice fits in with caring for children and is a win-win arrangement. It also allows other staff to work an 8 hour day.
- Self employed hairdressers should start later in the morning on late night days.
- Develop a Code of Practice for staff working conditions including hours of work and breaks. This should be included in the employment agreement.
Work Management Practices
Pre-employment Practices
The Right to Know
Every entrant to the Industry has the right to know and the employer and Training Provider has the duty to be pro-active in informing entrants of the risks of harm they will be exposed to. Apprentices and others who enter the Industry through a salon should be told about the prevalence of and the risks of developing dermatitis and MSD. See the Health and Safety in Employment Act, Section 12.
Dermatitis
Few employers have a pre-employment practice of discussing with the applicant whether they have now or they have a history of dermatitis, eczema, rashes, asthma or hay fever. The applicant has the right to know the risks of developing dermatitis and the possible consequences.
Risk
Does having a prior history of eczema, rashes, hay fever or asthma increase the risk of developing dermatitis? The research evidence indicates a similar chance of developing either irritant or allergic dermatitis as people without this prior history. However, when dermatitis does occur it is more difficult to remedy and may have lifelong effects including having to leave the Industry[2].
Interventions
Discuss the risks of developing dermatitis with all applicants and the consequences for a person who has a history of dermatitis and similar complaints.
Further interventions are included in the section on Dermatitis. There is a need to practice from the day a person enters the Industry, consistent and thorough working methods that avoid contact with products that can cause dermatitis.
Initial training in techniques and safe working practices.
The initial techniques taught to trainees are likely to affect their risk of developing MSD and dermatitis and thus putting at risk achieving their wish to be a hairdresser as their chosen career.
Techniques are difficult to change and need to be 'good practice' techniques from day one of their training.
Work Experience
There are new entrants to the Industry who do not come into the Industry through the training process. These include work experience and secondary school pupils who work after school and on Saturdays. These young persons require the same training in the risk of harm and safe procedures as those in the formal training system.
Keeping Records of Accidents and Leaving the Industry
Employers are required to keep records of accidents and harm (S25, HSE Act). This should include records of dermatitis and MSD. Memory is not a reliable source of information on the incidence of discomfort, pain and injury, or dermatitis in a salon. Accurate information is important in deciding on any action needed to prevent the harm occurring again and for making a claim for compensation.
A hairdresser leaving the Industry because of dermatitis or MSD is likely to meet the criteria of serious harm and this must be reported to the Department of Labour.
Develop accident register forms for the hairdressing Industry that include discomfort and pain as well as injuries and harm.
[2] This conclusion was reached after extensive discussion with a number of Senior Medical Specialists.