3 October 2013
The National Hairdressers’ Federation has given its strong backing to this week’s decision by the European Commission (EC) not to press ahead with proposed health and safety reforms that it had been feared could cost the industry as much as £75m a year.
As part of its drive to cut red tape, the EC said this week it would not be taking forward proposals by EU Coiffure and UNI Europa Hair & Beauty that could have banned salon staff from wearing high heels, required them to wear elbow-length gloves when washing hair and limited the amount of time they could spend with clients on the salon floor.
However, the NHBF has cautioned the industry not to assume as a result the proposals are dead and buried. The EC has said it will instead carry out “impact assessments” to gauge the cost of introducing such laws in the UK and elsewhere. These are likely to take place early next year and therefore it is possible the proposals, or a version of them, could yet be resurrected.
Nevertheless, NHBF president Mark Coray welcomed the decision to pause the process.
We fully recognise the importance of health and safety in salons and NHBF provides guidance for our members on best practice and reducing risk. But the additional spending on health and safety as outlined in these proposals was disproportionate to the benefits gained, especially for small businesses. UK salons can now get on with doing what they do best: providing an excellent, safe service for their clients.”
NHBF chief executive Hilary Hall added: "We believe the measures already in place through UK health and safety legislation are more than sufficient, and have contributed to the great health and safety record held by UK hairdressing salons and barber shops.”
Last year the Health and Safety Executive calculated that the proposals, if enacted to the full, could cost UK hairdressing salons and barbers as much as £75m a year.