VTCT Level 2 Hairdressing Revision Guide

Health and Safety in the Salon

• Core Health and Safety Definitions:

  • Hazard: Anything with the potential to cause harm, such as a wet floor, a trailing wire, or a chemical substance.
  • Risk: The likelihood (chance) of a hazard actually causing harm, combined with the degree of severity of that potential harm.
  • Risk Assessment: A careful, systematic examination of what could cause harm in the workplace and the precautions needed to prevent that harm.
  • Competent Person: An individual possessing the specific training, knowledge, and experience required to perform a task safely (e.g., a certified first aider or a Portable Appliance Testing [PAT] tester).
  • Salon Policy / Salon Requirements: Workplace-specific operational rules that staff must follow alongside statutory legislation.
  • Exam Distinction: A hazard is the physical thing or agent; a risk is the probability and impact of that hazard hurting someone.

• The Five Steps of Risk Assessment (Health and Safety Executive - HSE):

  • Step $1$: Identify the hazards present in the salon.
  • Step $2$: Decide who might be harmed and how.
  • Step $3$: Evaluate the risks and decide on appropriate precautions (control measures).
  • Step $4$: Record significant findings and implement them in salon practice. Employers with $5$ or more employees are legally required to maintain a written record.     *