Beauty Salon Risk Assessment: What to Include and How to Write One

TL;DR: A beauty salon risk assessment must go well beyond a generic template. You are working with hazardous chemicals — hair dye containing PPD, acrylics releasing methacrylate vapour, lash adhesive based on cyanoacrylate — alongside hot wax, electrical equipment, sharps, and the constant risk of cross-contamination. In the UK, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the COSHH Regulations 2002, and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 all apply. In Ireland, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires a written safety statement from every employer regardless of size. This guide walks you through the HSE 5-step process applied specifically to beauty treatments, lists the hazards you must cover by treatment type, explains what inspectors and insurers actually look for, and shows you how to avoid the mistakes that catch most salons out.

Introduction — Why a Generic Risk Assessment Is Not Enough for Beauty

If you own a beauty salon, work as a mobile beautician, or run a small hairdressing or nail studio, you have almost certainly been told you need a risk assessment. So you download a free template, tick a few boxes about slips and trips, and put it in a drawer. That is what most people do — and it is exactly what gets them into trouble.

The problem is that beauty and hairdressing involve a genuinely unusual combination of hazards. You are applying chemicals directly to people’s skin, hair, and nails. You are working with substances that cause occupational dermatitis, allergic reactions, and respiratory sensitisation. You are using sharps, hot equipment, UV lamps, and sterilisation processes. And if you are mobile, you are doing all of this in somebody else’s home, often working alone.

A generic office risk assessment — or even a generic salon template pulled from the internet — will not cover any of that in the detail your situation demands. Your risk assessment needs to reflect the actual treatments you carry out, the specific chemicals you use, the equipment in your kit, and the environment you work in.

This guide is written for beauty salon owners, mobile beauty therapists, hairdressers, and nail technicians — whether you are a sole trader working from a home studio or running a small salon with a handful of staff in the UK or Ireland. We will walk through what the law requires, how to apply the recognised 5-step risk assessment process to beauty-specific hazards, exactly which risks you need to cover treatment by treatment, and what inspectors and insurance companies expect to see.

If you want a general overview of how risk assessments work, our health and safety risk assessment guide covers the fundamentals. For a broader look at health and safety obligations specific to beauty salons, see our health and safety for beauty salons guide.

Legal Requirements — UK and Ireland

Before diving into the specifics, you need to understand the legal framework. The requirements are broadly similar across the UK and Ireland, but there are important differences.

United Kingdom

The foundation is the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA 1974). Section 2 places a general duty on every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees. Section 3 extends that duty to anyone else who might be affected by your work — and in a beauty salon, that means your clients.

The specific duty to carry out a risk assessment comes from the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR 1999), Regulation 3. You must make a “suitable and sufficient” assessment of the risks to employees and anyone else affected by your undertaking.

If you employ five or more people, you must record the significant findings in writing. If you have fewer than five, you are still legally required to carry out the assessment — you just do not have to document it on paper. In practice, you should always write it down. Without a written record you have no evidence of compliance if a local authority inspector walks through the door, an insurer queries your cover, or a client makes a claim.

Because beauty work involves hazardous substances — hair dye, bleach, acrylics, adhesives, cleaning chemicals — the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH 2002) also apply. These require a separate COSHH assessment for every hazardous substance you use. We cover COSHH in detail in our COSHH assessment guide.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require you to maintain all electrical equipment in a safe condition. That means regular inspection and, in most cases, portable appliance testing (PAT) of your dryers, straighteners, UV lamps, and sterilisers.

Ireland

In Ireland, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (SHWW Act 2005) sets a higher threshold. Section 19 requires every employer — regardless of the number of employees — to carry out a risk assessment and prepare a written safety statement based on it. There is no small business exemption.

The safety statement must identify the hazards in your workplace, assess the risks, specify the control measures in place, and be brought to the attention of every employee. It must also be reviewed whenever circumstances change — for instance, if you introduce a new treatment, move premises, or change the chemicals you use.

What This Means for You

Whether you are a sole trader renting a chair in a shared salon or running your own premises with a small team, the practical advice is the same: write it down, make it specific to your treatments, and keep it up to date. If you want a broader checklist of everything you need to have in place, our health and safety compliance checklist covers the full picture.

The HSE 5-Step Risk Assessment Process Applied to Beauty Treatments

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends a 5-step process for carrying out risk assessments. It is designed for non-specialists, which makes it ideal for salon owners handling their own compliance.

Step 1: Identify the Hazards

Walk through your salon — or your mobile kit — and list everything that could cause harm. Think about every treatment you offer, every product you use, every piece of equipment you handle, and the environment you work in.

For a beauty salon or mobile beauty business, your hazard list will typically include:

Chemical products — hair dye (PPD, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide), acrylic liquids (methacrylate monomer), nail polish remover (acetone), lash adhesive (cyanoacrylate), wax, tanning solutions (DHA), keratin treatments (formaldehyde)
Dermatitis and skin sensitisation — from wet work, repeated chemical contact, and latex or nitrile glove use
Infection and cross-contamination — blood-borne viruses (BBV) from nicks and cuts, fungal and bacterial infections, contaminated tools
Burns and scalds — hot wax, straightening irons, steamers, hot water
Electrical equipment — hairdryers, clippers, UV/LED lamps, autoclaves, straighteners
Allergic reactions in clients — from hair dye, lash adhesive, or other sensitising products
Slips, trips and falls — wet floors, hair clippings, trailing cables, spilled products
Manual handling — carrying heavy kit bags for mobile work
Musculoskeletal strain — repetitive hand and wrist movements, prolonged standing, poor posture
Lone working — mobile therapists visiting clients’ homes alone
Nail dust — fine particles generated by filing and drilling acrylic and gel nails
UV exposure — from nail curing lamps

Do not guess at hazards from memory. Sit in your salon during a busy day, watch every treatment being performed, note what chemicals are open on the workstation, and ask your staff where they feel the risks are.

Step 2: Decide Who Might Be Harmed and How

For each hazard, think about who is at risk:

Therapists and stylists — the people most directly and repeatedly exposed to chemicals, repetitive movements, and contact with clients
Clients — who could suffer burns from hot wax, allergic reactions to dye, or infections from unsterilised tools
Other staff — receptionists or junior trainees who may not have full training
Visitors — anyone else in the salon, including children accompanying clients
Vulnerable groups — pregnant workers (who should avoid certain chemical exposures), young apprentices, and anyone with pre-existing conditions such as asthma or eczema

Be specific. Do not write “staff could be harmed by chemicals.” Write “Nail technician could develop occupational contact dermatitis from daily skin contact with methacrylate monomer during acrylic nail application.”

Step 3: Evaluate the Risks and Decide on Control Measures

For each hazard, decide how serious the risk is and what you are going to do about it. Apply the hierarchy of controls: eliminate the hazard if you can; if you cannot, substitute with something less hazardous; then use engineering controls (such as local exhaust ventilation at nail stations), administrative controls (such as rotation of tasks), and finally personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, aprons, and masks.

Step 4: Record Your Findings and Implement Them

Write down the hazards you have identified, who is at risk, the control measures you have put in place, and who is responsible for each action. Then actually implement them — a risk assessment that sits in a drawer and is never acted on is worse than useless.

Step 5: Review and Update Regularly

Your risk assessment is not a one-off document. Review it whenever you introduce a new treatment, change a product, move premises, hire new staff, or after any incident or near miss. At a minimum, review it annually.

Specific Hazards You Must Include

This is the core of your risk assessment. A beauty salon risk assessment template that does not cover the following hazards in detail is not fit for purpose.

Chemical Exposure by Treatment Type

Chemicals are the single biggest hazard category in beauty and hairdressing. Your risk assessment needs to address specific substances by treatment type, not just “chemicals” as a generic heading.

Hairdressing Chemicals

PPD and PTD in hair dye — para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and para-toluenediamine (PTD) are potent skin sensitisers found in most permanent hair dyes. Once a person becomes sensitised, even tiny amounts can trigger a severe allergic reaction. Your assessment must cover the risk to both the stylist applying the dye and the client receiving it.
Hydrogen peroxide — used as a developer in hair colouring. Causes skin and eye irritation at salon-strength concentrations. Splashes to the eye can cause serious injury.
Ammonia — present in many permanent hair colours. Releases irritant vapour that can affect the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, particularly in poorly ventilated salons.
Keratin treatments (formaldehyde) — some keratin smoothing treatments release formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing chemicals when heated. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and respiratory sensitiser. If you offer these treatments, your risk assessment must include adequate ventilation, exposure limits, and whether the products you use are compliant with UK/EU cosmetic regulations.

Nail Chemicals

Acrylics (methacrylate monomer) — the liquid monomer used in acrylic nail systems is a significant respiratory and skin sensitiser. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is banned in cosmetic nail products in the UK and EU, but ethyl methacrylate (EMA) is still a sensitiser at high exposure levels. Your risk assessment should cover ventilation at nail stations, skin contact prevention, and correct product storage.
Acetone — used as a nail polish and gel remover. Highly flammable and causes skin defatting with repeated contact. Storage, ventilation, and fire risk must all be addressed.
Nail dust — fine dust from filing and electric-file work on acrylic and gel nails. Inhaling this dust repeatedly can cause respiratory irritation. Dust extraction at the workstation is the primary control measure.
UV/LED gel curing — UV nail lamps emit ultraviolet radiation. While the exposure per session is low, cumulative exposure for the technician curing multiple sets per day should be assessed. Some clients may also have concerns about UV exposure to hands.

Beauty Treatment Chemicals

Hot wax — the primary risk is burns from wax that is too hot or applied incorrectly. Your assessment should cover thermostat-controlled wax heaters, temperature testing before application, and first aid for wax burns.
Tanning solutions (DHA) — dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is the active ingredient in spray tans. The risk is inhalation of the aerosolised solution during spray application. A properly ventilated spray booth or extraction system is essential, and both therapist and client should avoid inhaling the mist.
Lash adhesive (cyanoacrylate) — eyelash extension adhesive is based on cyanoacrylate, which releases irritant vapour. In a small, poorly ventilated room, this can cause eye irritation, headaches, and respiratory symptoms for the therapist. Your assessment should specify ventilation requirements, the use of a nano-mister or nebuliser to cure fumes, and the distance between workstations if multiple technicians are applying lashes simultaneously.

Each of these chemicals also requires a separate COSHH assessment under the COSHH Regulations 2002. Your general risk assessment should reference your COSHH file and confirm that safety data sheets (SDS) are held for every product. For guidance on completing COSHH assessments, see our COSHH assessment guide.

Dermatitis — Occupational Contact Dermatitis

Occupational contact dermatitis is the most common occupational disease in hairdressing and beauty. It is caused by repeated exposure to water (wet work), detergents, hair dye, acrylics, and other irritant or sensitising chemicals.

Your risk assessment must include:

Identification of wet work tasks — shampooing, cleaning, rinsing colour — and limits on the duration of wet work per shift
Glove selection — not all gloves are equal. Thin latex gloves often used in salons offer poor chemical resistance. Your assessment should specify nitrile gloves of appropriate thickness for the chemicals being handled, and ensure gloves are changed between clients and tasks
Skin care programme — pre-work barrier cream (where appropriate), regular use of emollient moisturiser after washing hands, and avoidance of excessive hand washing or use of alcohol gel on already-damaged skin
Health surveillance — for employees regularly exposed to sensitising chemicals, you should consider a basic skin check programme to catch early signs of dermatitis before it becomes chronic
Training — staff must understand that dermatitis is not just “dry hands” and that early reporting is essential

Infection Control — Blood-Borne Viruses and Hygiene

Beauty treatments that break or penetrate the skin — waxing, threading, cuticle work, extraction facials, microblading, electrolysis — carry a risk of transmitting blood-borne viruses (BBV) including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Even treatments that do not intentionally break the skin can cause micro-abrasions.

Your risk assessment must cover:

Tool sterilisation — reusable metal implements (tweezers, cuticle nippers, scissors) must be sterilised between clients. An autoclave is the gold standard for sterilisation in a salon setting. Chemical disinfection solutions such as Barbicide are suitable for some items but are not a substitute for autoclaving instruments that contact blood or broken skin
Single-use items — disposable wax spatulas, cotton pads, mascara wands, emery boards, and any item that cannot be sterilised must be single-use and disposed of after each client
Sharps disposal — razor blades, lancets, and any contaminated sharps must go into a proper sharps bin, not the general waste
Surface cleaning — treatment beds, trolleys, and work surfaces must be cleaned and disinfected between clients using an appropriate disinfectant
Skin conditions — your client consultation process should include questions about skin infections, open wounds, and contagious conditions. You need a clear policy on when to refuse or postpone a treatment
Hand hygiene — therapists must wash hands before and after every client, and between glove changes
Laundry — towels, gowns, and headbands must be washed at a minimum of 60 degrees Celsius to kill bacteria and fungi

Electrical Safety

Beauty salons rely on a range of electrical equipment: hairdryers, clippers, curling tongs, straighteners, UV/LED nail lamps, wax heaters, steamers, autoclaves, and high-frequency or galvanic machines.

Under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, you must maintain all electrical equipment in a safe condition. Your risk assessment should cover:

Portable appliance testing (PAT) — all portable electrical equipment should be visually inspected regularly and formally PAT tested at appropriate intervals. There is no fixed legal frequency, but annual testing is standard practice for salon equipment that gets heavy daily use
Visual inspection — staff should be trained to check cables, plugs, and equipment housings for damage before each use. Frayed cables, cracked casings, and loose connections must be taken out of service immediately
Residual current devices (RCDs/GFCIs) — all salon socket outlets should be protected by a 30mA residual current device. This is particularly important where electrical equipment is used near water — at backwash basins, for example
Equipment-specific risks — UV nail lamps should be checked for bulb integrity and correct output; wax heaters should have functioning thermostats; autoclaves should be maintained and calibrated according to the manufacturer’s instructions
Client equipment in mobile settings — if you are a mobile therapist plugging your equipment into a client’s sockets, you have no control over the condition of their wiring. Your risk assessment should specify that you carry your own RCD adaptor and visually check sockets before use

Burns and Scalds

Hot wax, boiling water for steamers, heated styling tools, and even hot towels create a real burn risk in a salon environment. Your risk assessment should address:

Wax temperature control — thermostatically controlled wax heaters, temperature testing on the inner wrist before application, and never microwaving wax
Straighteners and curling tongs — heat-resistant mats and holders, never leaving heated tools unattended, and safe storage while cooling
Steamers — stable positioning, safe distance from the client’s face, and checking water levels before use
Hot water at backwash basins — thermostatic mixing valves to prevent scalding, and always testing water temperature before washing a client’s hair
First aid — cool running water for at least 20 minutes for any burn, and a first aid kit that includes appropriate burn dressings

Allergic Reactions — Patch Testing and Client Consultation

Allergic reactions to beauty products can range from mild irritation to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Your risk assessment must cover the processes you have in place to minimise this risk.

Patch testing for hair dye — the industry standard is a 48-hour patch test before every colour service, even for returning clients. PPD sensitisation can develop at any time. Your risk assessment should document your patch testing procedure, the record-keeping process, and what happens if a client refuses a patch test (the answer should be: you decline the service)
Lash adhesive sensitivity — a patch test should be carried out before first-time eyelash extension application, with the adhesive applied behind the ear or on the inner arm at least 24 hours before the appointment
Client consultation forms — every new client and every returning client receiving a chemical treatment should complete a consultation form that asks about allergies, skin conditions, medication, and previous reactions. This form is a critical part of your risk management — it is both a clinical safeguard and a legal record
Emergency response — your risk assessment should specify what to do if a client has an allergic reaction during treatment. Staff should know how to recognise the signs of anaphylaxis and when to call 999/112. If you keep an adrenaline auto-injector on site (not a legal requirement for salons, but some do), staff must be trained in its use

Slips, Trips and Falls

This is the hazard that every generic template covers, but beauty salons have specific slip and trip risks that need to be called out:

Hair clippings on smooth floors — cut hair on tiled or laminate flooring is extremely slippery. Regular sweeping between clients is essential
Water around backwash areas — splashes and drips create slip hazards. Non-slip flooring or mats and prompt mopping are the controls
Spilled products — wax, oil, tanning solution, and cleaning chemicals on the floor. Your assessment should specify immediate clean-up procedures
Trailing cables — from hairdryers, clippers, and other portable equipment. Cable management solutions, retractable leads, and sensible workstation layout are all appropriate controls
Client movement — clients may be unfamiliar with the layout, have restricted vision (during a facial or with foils in), or feel dizzy after a treatment. Ensure walkways are clear and well-lit

Manual Handling — Mobile Workers

If you are a mobile beauty therapist or mobile hairdresser, you carry your entire kit to and from each appointment. That can include a heavy portable couch, a case of products, an equipment bag, and a lighting rig.

Your risk assessment should cover:

The total weight of your mobile kit and how it is distributed across bags and cases
How you transport it — from the car to the client’s home, up stairs, through narrow hallways
Whether you use a trolley or wheeled case to reduce carrying
The risk of back, shoulder, and wrist injury from repetitive loading and unloading

Lone Working — Mobile Therapists

Mobile beauty therapists frequently work alone in clients’ homes. This creates specific safety risks that must be addressed in your risk assessment.

Personal safety — visiting unfamiliar addresses alone, sometimes in the evening. Your assessment should cover a check-in system (letting someone know where you are and when you expect to finish), a policy on sharing your live location, and a procedure for leaving if you feel unsafe
Emergency response — if you are working alone and a client has a medical emergency or an allergic reaction, who do you call? Do you have mobile phone signal? Do you know the address well enough to direct emergency services?
Communication — ensuring you have a charged mobile phone and that someone knows your appointment schedule for the day

If you want to understand lone working procedures in more detail, our guide on lone working policy for cleaners covers many of the same principles — the concepts of check-in systems, escalation procedures, and dynamic risk assessment apply equally to mobile beauty work.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Beauty and hairdressing are physically demanding. Repetitive hand movements, prolonged standing, awkward postures leaning over clients, and gripping small tools all contribute to musculoskeletal problems.

Your risk assessment should consider:

Repetitive strain — wrist and hand strain from cutting hair, filing nails, or performing massage. Task rotation and regular breaks are the primary controls
Prolonged standing — anti-fatigue mats, supportive footwear, and scheduled sit-down breaks
Posture — adjustable-height treatment beds and salon chairs, correct stool height for nail technicians, and training on working posture
Vibration — from electric nail files and clippers, though the exposure levels in beauty are generally below action values

Our Beauty Salon Kit includes a pre-filled risk assessment covering all these hazards — ready to download and use today.

Treatment-Specific Risk Assessment Sections

While many hazards apply across the board, it is good practice to break your risk assessment into treatment-specific sections. This makes the document easier to use and ensures nothing gets missed.

Hair Services

Cover: chemical exposure (dye, bleach, peroxide, ammonia, keratin treatments), dermatitis from wet work and colour mixing, burns from straighteners and curling irons, scalds at backwash, allergic reactions (patch testing), slips from hair clippings, electrical safety of styling tools, and musculoskeletal strain from prolonged standing and repetitive cutting.

Nail Services

Cover: chemical exposure (methacrylate monomer, acetone, primer), nail dust inhalation, ventilation and dust extraction, UV exposure from curing lamps, dermatitis from product contact, infection control for cuticle work, electrical safety of nail drills and UV/LED lamps, and ergonomic strain from the seated working position and fine motor tasks.

Beauty Treatments (Waxing, Facials, Tanning, Lash Extensions)

Cover: burns from hot wax, allergic reactions to wax or tanning products, inhalation of DHA spray tan mist, cyanoacrylate vapour from lash adhesive, infection control for any treatment involving skin contact or extraction, sharps disposal where applicable, and client consultation procedures.

Mobile Services

All of the above, plus: manual handling of equipment, lone working procedures, vehicle safety (secure storage of chemicals during transport, not leaving flammable products in a hot car), working in uncontrolled environments (client’s home), assessing the client’s premises for hazards on arrival (lighting, trip hazards, access to running water, electrical socket condition), and a dynamic risk assessment approach where you reassess conditions at every new location.

What Inspectors and Insurance Companies Look For

Local Authority Inspectors

In the UK, beauty salons are typically inspected by local authority environmental health officers rather than the HSE. In Ireland, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) carries out inspections. What they want to see is straightforward:

A written risk assessment that is specific to your salon and your treatments — not a generic download
COSHH assessments for every hazardous substance, with safety data sheets on file
Evidence that control measures are actually in place and being followed — not just written down
Training records showing that staff understand the hazards and the controls
An accident book and evidence of incident reporting
Patch test records and client consultation forms
PAT testing records for electrical equipment
Sterilisation logs for autoclaves
A complaints and incidents procedure

An inspector will not be impressed by a thick folder of paperwork if they can then see an uncalibrated autoclave, a cracked hairdryer cable, or a stylist mixing colour without gloves.

Insurance Companies

Your professional indemnity and public liability insurer will almost certainly require you to have a risk assessment in place as a condition of your policy. If you make a claim — for instance, a client suffers an allergic reaction or a burn — the insurer will ask to see your risk assessment, your consultation records, and your patch test log. If these documents do not exist, or if they are generic and do not cover the specific treatment that went wrong, the insurer may refuse to pay out.

Key documents insurers expect:

A treatment-specific risk assessment
COSHH assessments for every product used in the treatment
A signed client consultation form with allergy and medical history
Patch test records (with dates and results)
Staff training records and qualifications
PAT test certificates
Product liability insurance for any products you sell to clients

Common Mistakes

These are the errors we see most often in beauty salon risk assessments:

Using a generic template — a risk assessment that says “chemicals” without naming the specific substances you use is not suitable or sufficient. Name the products, name the active ingredients, and reference the safety data sheets.
Not covering all treatments — if you offer hair, nails, waxing, tanning, and lash extensions, your risk assessment must cover every single one. A hairdressing risk assessment does not cover nail services.
Ignoring dermatitis — occupational dermatitis is extremely common in beauty and hairdressing, yet many salon risk assessments do not mention it at all. This is a significant gap that an inspector will notice.
No COSHH assessments — the general risk assessment is not a substitute for individual COSHH assessments. You need both.
Patch test policy exists but is not followed — having a patch test policy in your risk assessment but then routinely skipping patch tests (because the client is in a rush, because they have had the same colour before) is worse than not having a policy at all. It shows you know the risk and chose to ignore it.
Out of date — a risk assessment from three years ago that does not reflect your current product range, treatments, premises, or staffing is not compliant.
Not involving staff — your therapists and stylists know where the real risks are. A risk assessment written by the owner in isolation, without input from the people doing the work, will miss things.
No evidence of implementation — the assessment says gloves must be worn for colour mixing, but the salon has no nitrile gloves in stock. The assessment says the autoclave must be tested weekly, but there is no log. Paperwork without practice is not compliance.

How Often to Review Your Risk Assessment

There is no fixed legal frequency for reviewing a risk assessment, but best practice and most industry guidance recommend the following:

At least once a year — an annual review to check that everything is still current
After any incident, accident, or near miss — even a minor wax burn or a client’s mild allergic reaction should trigger a review of the relevant section
When you introduce a new treatment or product — adding gel nails, spray tanning, or a new brand of hair colour means new chemicals and new hazards
When you change premises or workstation layout — different ventilation, different flooring, different electrical setup
When you hire new staff — especially if they are young workers, apprentices, or have a health condition that affects their risk profile
When regulations change — keep an eye on updates from the HSE, local authority, or HSA

Write the review date on the risk assessment itself, and sign it. If nothing has changed, a brief note confirming the review and the date is sufficient.

Summary

A beauty salon risk assessment is not a formality and it is not a tick-box exercise. It is a working document that protects your staff, your clients, and your business. It must be specific to the treatments you offer, the chemicals you use, and the environment you work in.

At a minimum, your assessment needs to cover:

Chemical exposure by treatment type — hair dye, bleach, acrylics, acetone, lash adhesive, wax, tanning solutions
Occupational dermatitis — wet work, glove selection, skin care programme
Infection control — sterilisation, single-use items, BBV risk, hygiene procedures
Electrical safety — PAT testing, RCDs, equipment inspection
Burns and scalds — wax, heated tools, hot water
Allergic reactions — patch testing, client consultation forms
Slips, trips and falls — hair clippings, water, spilled products, cables
Manual handling — especially for mobile workers
Lone working — mobile therapists working in clients’ homes
Musculoskeletal strain — repetitive movements, standing, posture

It must comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the MHSWR 1999, the COSHH Regulations 2002, and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 in the UK — and the SHWW Act 2005 in Ireland. It must be reviewed regularly, kept up to date, and actually implemented in practice.

If you get this right, you will not only be legally compliant — you will have a safer salon, lower insurance premiums, fewer incidents, and the confidence to pass any inspection.

Want to see how our risk assessments work? View the Beauty Salon Kit or download a free sample.