Opening a salon is a fantastic way to find a niche in an increasingly difficult business climate. Clients will always need haircuts, after all, and that’s something which won’t change no matter how many other industries move online or become obsolete. Until we perfect AI which can cut our fair for us, you can be pretty sure that you’ll find yourself on stable business footing with an idea like this.

Sadly, opening a salon isn’t as simple as handpicking stylists and opening the doors. While this industry may be risk-free in some ways, it has more physical risks for staff and customers than, say, a retail space. And, if you rush into opening, that could see you both harming customers and your reputation. It could even lead to hefty legal fees that see you shutting up shop altogether.

If you’re planning on going down this route, then, secure your success by taking care of the following cautionary measures before opening.

Get Every Team Member up to Date with Training

When you hire stylists, the chances are that they’ll already have some health and safety training. But, it’s still worth enforcing further courses. After all, you can’t guarantee that other salons provide courses with as much detail as you’d like. Previous certification may also neglect certain substances you expect your team to use. As such, it’s vital that you consider health and safety awareness training which takes your particular list of COSHH substances into account. Note, too, that pre-opening scissor safety courses can keep your staff from ever misholding or misusing the dangerous equipment which is part and parcel of salon life.

Provide Safe Uniforms

Uniforms are also worth considering. As a general safety measure, they should be worn by every single member of your team, including yourself. This uniform should include a sterile apron which helps to keep staff clean and protected at all times. More importantly, you also want to ensure that you provide safety scissor belts at all times. This is essential for your staff and your customers. For one, you don’t want team members to leave their cutting scissors where customers could access them. You also don’t want stylists slipping scissors into their pockets and causing harm that way. Instead, invest in proper scissor holders, and make it clear that they must be worn at all times just like the rest of those uniforms.

Remember the Basics

Salons come with such specialist safety considerations that it’s all too easy to forget about the basics of safety before opening. But, you also need to consider simple things, like making sure that your floor is well-fitted, and that your wires aren’t exposed. Trip hazards could, after all, leave you in as much trouble as a stray pot of hair dye. So, before opening those doors, be sure to do one last look around and take care of the simple safety stuff which could keep your salon secure at all times. Then, you can let your clients in at last.