The UK Government has revealed new official guidance for barbershops and hair salons reopening in England from 12 April 2021. The new guidance features nine key topics that will be familiar from previous guidance, plus three new elements that will be essential reading before you reopen your business.
What’s changed in the latest UK Government guidance for hair salons and hairdressers reopening in England?
The latest UK Government guidance for barbershops and salons reopening in England on 12 April 2021 includes new information on the following:
- Ventilation
- Tests
- New requirements for NHS Test and Trace
What do you need to know about the UK Government guidance on ventilation ahead of reopening your hair business in England?
The new guidance on ventilation states:
“Ventilation should be used as a control measure to reduce the risk of aerosol transmission of COVID-19 in enclosed spaces. ventilation will not reduce the risk of droplet or surface transmission, so other control measures such as cleaning and social distancing are also required.”
The suggestions for providing ventilation within a hairdressing salon setting include:
- Mechanical ventilation using fans and ducts
- Natural ventilation using openings such as doors, windows, vents
- A combination of mechanical and natural ventilation.
There is more information in the HSE guidance on ventilation and air conditioning so you can take the necessary steps to improve ventilation in your hair salon or barbershop.
What do you need to know about the UK Government guidance on tests ahead of reopening?
The new guidance on tests states:
“It’s important that you continue to put measures in place to reduce the risk of covid-19 transmission, including maintaining social distancing, frequent cleaning, good hygiene and adequate ventilation, even if your employees have received a recent negative test result and / or had the vaccine (either 1 or 2 doses).”
The guidance explains that if you are providing testing within your hair salon or barbershop you need to ensure the testing is carried out in a safe manner and in an appropriate setting where control measures are in place to manage the risk of COVID-19 transmission during the testing process.
These control measures include:
- Maintaining social distancing where possible
- Frequent cleaning
- Good hygiene
- Adequate ventilation
- Plus, giving individuals awaiting their test result an appropriate place to stay while the test is being processed.
Anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms is entitled to a free NHS test and you order rapid lateral flow tests, to test employees with no COVID-19 symptoms.
What do you need to know about the new requirements for NHS Test and Trace ahead of hair salons reopening in England?
The new rules for NHS Test and Trace in the government guidance for when your hair salon or hair/barbering business reopens in England are:
- Displaying the official NHS QR code poster. Official NHS QR posters can be generated online.
- Asking every client or visitor aged 16 and over to check in to your venue or provide their contact details. Individuals can check in quickly and easily using the NHS COVID-19 app to scan in the NHS QR code poster.
- Have a system in place to ensure you can collect information from clients and visitors who do not have a smartphone or do not want to use the NHS COVID-19 app. You must keep this data for 21 days and provide it to NHS Test and Trace, if requested. Click here to check what data you need to collect and how it should be managed.
Many businesses that take bookings ahead of time, including hair salon and barbering businesses, will have systems for recording this information already. If you have these existing systems in place, these systems may be an effective means of collecting contact details for the purpose of NHS Test and Trace.
The guidance stresses the importance on following the rules for NHS and Test and Trace. It states:
“Any business found not to be compliant with these requirements will be subject to financial penalties. it is vital that you comply with these requirements to help keep people safe, and to keep businesses open.”
Click here to find out more about the NHS Test and Trace requirements.
What else is covered in the UK Government guidance ahead of reopening?
The new guidance for hair salons and hairdressers based in England also covers information on the following nine topics:
- Thinking about risk
- Keeping clients and visitors safe
- Who should go to work
- Social distancing for workers
- Cleaning the workplace
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Workplace management
- Inbound and outbound goods
- Tests and vaccinations
Read next
Reasons to enter the Modern Barber Awards 2021
Hair and Barber Council collaborates with Salon Owners United