Fire risk assessments for hairdressers: Are you compliant?
When it comes to having a successful hair salon, safety is one of the most important issues you need to consider. You need to make sure that you are following all rules and regulations to keep your salon safe and protected against hazards. And this includes fire risk assessment. Hairdressers and hair salon owners must ensure they don’t fall foul of their legal obligations, and have measures in place to keep salon staff and clients safe, should the worst happen.
Although most of the time hair salons are small premises with a few staff, there are still many fire risks, especially if you have multiple premises to keep track of. In an environment where there are many different chemicals, electrical equipment and hot tools, it is important to complete a fire risk assessment for your hairdressers regularly. This means documenting any fire hazards and taking action to prevent them.
Fire safety regulations for hairdressers
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the law that covers general fire safety in England and Wales. In Scotland, Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 covers requirements for general fire safety, supported by the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
As employers, you're known as the ‘responsible person' in the eyes of the law, so you must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and keep it up to date. Fire risk assessments can be carried out either as part of an overall health and safety risk assessment or as a separate exercise.
Based on the findings of the assessment, employers need to ensure that adequate and appropriate fire safety measures are in place to minimise the risk of injury or loss of life in the event of a fire.
A fire risk assessment for your hair salon should identify what could cause a fire to start, i.e. sources of ignition (e.g. hair straighteners) and substances that burn (e.g. flammable hair spray), and the people who may be at risk.
Things to consider when doing a fire risk assessment for a hair salon
There are many different additions you can make to your hair salon to make it a safe and fire-free environment. When completing your fire risk assessment for your hairdressers, consider the following aspects.
Means of escape – Hair salons are considered low risk because they are often small locations, staffed with people who know the building and aren’t using high volumes of flammable materials. For a single storey salon, you’ll typically have exits at the front and back of the building.
Fire-fighting equipment – Each level of your hair salon should have two fire extinguishers. This should be a foam or water one and a CO2 extinguisher for electrical fires.
Emergency lighting – In any salon, you should have emergency lighting in place so your staff and customers can find their way out of the building in the event of an electrical failure due to a fire or electrical fault.
Fire signage – In simple buildings, you are not required to display fire exit signs. However, its recommended to have them in your hairdressers to indicate the alternative means of escape.
Fire drills – In a small salon or shop, fire drills are not required. If you are in a bigger, multi-occupied building fire drills are essential. The landlord/owner of that building is required to conduct a fire drill at least once a year.
Fire training - Salon staff should undertake fire training annually. This training could be delivered at staff meetings or inductions where hairdressers and other employees are made aware of the different extinguishers, evacuation procedures and how to ensure that the customers have left the building safely.
Completing a fire risk assessment for hair salons
To keep your hairdressing salon safe and protected, you must complete a fire risk assessment. By going through the five steps, you will have done everything required, and kept your business safe. The five steps of a fire risk assessment for hairdressers are:
Identify all potential combustibles and possible sources of ignition;
Consider all the relevant people who are at greatest risk from fire;
Remove or reduce the risks of fire as much as possible and provide precautions;
Prepare for an emergency with fire safety equipment, by providing correct training, and have a plan that everyone is aware of;
Record any findings and regularly review the assessment to keep it up-to-date.
When you have five or more salon employees, it is a requirement to record the findings and actions of your fire risk assessment. But regardless of how many staff members you have, it’s still a good idea, so you have proof you’re fulfilling your obligations.
You could also have your hair salon fire risk assessment conducted by a suitably trained assessor on your premises. The qualified assessor will be able to guide you through all of the steps of a fire risk assessment, as well as advising you on the most effective and cost-efficient solution to achieve the required standard. Crysp’s Fire Assessment Team can complete your Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) by conducting an in-person inspection of your salon(s), helping put your mind at rest that you are compliant.
Potential fire hazards in a hair salon
In a hair salon, there are many possible fire risks. A fire needs three things to burn: oxygen, heat, and fuel. When you can remove one or more of those elements, a fire is far less likely. It is important to identify the fire risks in order to prevent one. Perhaps it’s a stack of cardboard boxes or the bins which are full of rubbish. This may also include the array of chemicals and sprays you have, as some of them are highly flammable, such as hair spray. These different risks are types of fuel that could contribute to a fire.
This fuel needs to be kept away from what you may identify as possible sources of ignition. Electrical equipment and heaters are common ways for a fire to start. Hairdryers can also get very hot, as well as straighteners and curling tongs, so you should be careful with such items and make sure they are turned off after use.
Tumble dryers are even a possible fire risk. In a salon, you might dry your own towels, so make sure you have registered your appliances and maintain them regularly. You also need to ensure that all your electrical equipment is PAT checked annually. That way, you’ll know everything is working properly.
Reviewing your hair salon fire risk assessment
Once completed, any discovered hazards should be fixed and changes made to reduce the risk of fire in the salon. The risk assessment also needs to be kept current with any changes that occur on the premises. This may be a new layout or changing how a certain area is used. Your fire risk assessment for hairdressers should be reviewed annually to make sure that your safety measures are kept up to date. The overall responsibility of a fire risk assessment for hair salons always falls to the business owner/landlord of the building. You can also appoint a competent person who can assist with fire duties and the risk assessment.
We hope this information has been helpful in assisting you when completing a fire risk assessment for your hair salon. Taking on a fire risk assessment is a daunting task, and you don’t need to go it alone - Crysp can help. Contact us today to find out about our in-person fire risk assessments and fire prevention support, and how we can help you keep on top of health and safety compliance in your salon.