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Misleading guidelines cause confusion for salon owners
Date Added: 2009-06-24
A number of companies are targeting small businesses with misleading information about new health and safety law posters, causing confusion and distress to salon owners. Industry body Habia has warned that these companies are insisting that health and safety posters are replaced immediately (whereas salons have until 2014 to replace them) and, in some cases, are even sending threatening letters.
Employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations (HSIER) to display the official Health and Safety Executive (HSE) law poster in each workplace or provide each worker with a copy of the equivalent pocket card. A new law poster has been produced by the HSE, but employers have until 5 April 2014 to replace the posters or provide pocket cards.
The misleading promotions include mailshots in a brown envelope, overprinted with the words 'Legal Notice Action Required'. They also state, either in emails or mailshots, that the old poster must be replaced immediately and that the law poster should be displayed on every notice board within the business premises.
Wendy Nixon, Habia’s Health and Safety Manager, said, ‘There's always someone who tries to take advantage whenever there are changes in legislation. This is something our own members have made us aware of and we are working with HSE to make sure that salons do not fall for this.’
She added, ‘The posters do need changed from time to time, as it is essential that business are made aware of changes in order to keep up to date and ensure they comply with current legislation. However, some of the information that is being sent to salons is just completely wrong and is simply designed to scare salons into a sale. Any salon contacted by these companies that has any doubts should contact HSE directly.’
Habia is the standard setting body for the hair, beauty, nails and spa industries, and creates the standards that form the basis of all qualifications including NVQs, SVQs, Apprenticeships, Diplomas and Foundation degrees, as well as industry codes of practice.
If you know of any companies targeting salons in this way, please let either ourselves know or contact the HSE hotline on 0845 945 0055.
