Maintaining Salon Environment
Health & hygiene – Maintaining salon environment
The following information has been extracted from the advice and safe practise booklet shown here. It is advised that you read it in full as your local Environmental Health Officer may ask you about the guidelines within which will assist you in maintaining a safe and successful business. The tattooing and Piercing industry Union (TPI, AGMB-affiliated organisation-formed in 2004) will also be able to offer you advice on the best health and safety practices within the industry should you require further assistance in this area.
It is not possible for you to maintain a fully sterile environment, but you can ensure that the equipment you use is germ free. The main ways to achieve this is through regular and thorough hand washing and the use of gloves, skin disinfection of your client and the use of autoclaves and the decontamination of your equipment. You should keep a record of the cleaning that you undertake and ensure that any trainees/employees adhere to the Health and Safety policy you create for your premises:
- All work surfaces, seats, floors, lower wall regions should be impervious and resistant to liquid spills
- Floors should be slip resistant, carpets are strongly advised against
- Your treatment couch should have washable surfaces and should have a paper roller system to cover it. The paper should be changed for each client.
- Choose suitable disinfectant products which will not harm the surfaces you are going to clean. Areas used directly by clients or by you for the treatment of clients (treatment couch, your work station etc.) should be cleaned after each session in order to prepare your work space for the next client. Other areas should be cleaned daily (Walls, floors etc)
- You should have access to a hand washing basin which has a foot, elbow or lever operated tap system. You should have soap from a dispenser and good quality disposable towels. Alcoholic hand rub is not an alternative to soap and should only be used if the hands are already clean. It is possible to ‘re-disinfect’ gloves by spraying surgical spirit on them.
- A separate deep sink will be needed to wash and disinfect your equipment away from your ‘sterile’ work area.
- Follow the cleaning instructions specific to the machinery you use
Purchase appropriate sterilisation equipment to suit your machines (steam, vacuum and ultrasound are all available)
