Salons, for many women, are a safe haven, a place to relax with girlfriends and escape life’s many stresses. When getting their hair or nails done, they aren’t thinking about the salon’s potential liabilities. You wouldn’t necessarily think beauty salons would have many, but when you think about it, a lot could go wrong.

Luckily, there are many precautions a smart salon owner can take to reduce their business’s liability. These preventative measures reduce the risk of lawsuits and, should lawyers get involved, verdicts usually favor those who take pro-active action. Realizing and minimizing risks—imagining plausible problems and working to remedy them—takes time, but it’s better than the alternative. Here are some simple steps to help reduce your salon’s liability:

• Make your salon a safe and pleasant place. A professional appearance and atmosphere enhances your salon’s image.  It’s just good business sense.
• Have employees trained in both accident response and prevention. Check all salon equipment regularly to ensure they’re properly functioning. Equipment can malfunction (for nothing technological is assured) and a client could get burned. Literally. Also, keeping records of any preventive maintenance can help should such a situation arise.
• Lots of harsh and potentially dangerous chemicals are used in salons daily, so protect both your staff and clients. Manicure and pedicure tools, especially, pose a risk of infection if not correctly sterilized. Adequate ventilation and proper sanitation can almost eliminate this risk.
• Hire reliable, competent employees. This may seem a no-brainer, but if you’ve ever watched Bravo’s Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, the help can be a major problem. Employing stylists, manicurists, managers, etc. who adhere to the salon’s policies and procedures (instead of their own whims and habits) makes your business far less likely to encounter problems.
• Continually assess the salon for any liabilities—floor to ceiling. Any old, curling carpet could cause a fall. The freshly mopped floor, without any signage, is also a hazard. These examples may seem simplistic, but it’s often the smallest liability that can cost your business the most. And because they’re minor, they don’t require much time or expense.

These tips can go a long way in safeguarding your client’s monthly manicure or trim. Of course, should anything go awry, you want to make sure your salon has the right insurance coverage. To receive a free quote for your salon, email or call Homer Smith Insurance directly at 888-433-0031. We are dedicated to ensuring your salon has the coverage it needs. An independent insurance agency, we are licensed in, and serve, Washington and Oregon.

Erin Stork, Homer Smith Insurance