Spa owners and managers must keep their customers and employees safe. Ignoring safety regulations and requirements can lead to severe health issues that can cause them to be held liable for any damages that occur. This can cost the business both money and its good reputation. To ensure this does not happen, let’s look at some tips spa owners and managers should use to keep their employees and customers safe.
Use Proper Spa Design
When people think about spa design, they think about making the space functional. For example, they understand it should have walkways wide enough for customers and staff to walk along comfortably. However, there are more serious design considerations, such as the design of the ventilation system. Spas should have two ventilation systems: one that brings fresh air in and one that expels stale air. The latter is crucial for effectively removing fumes from cleaning agents that can sit in a room and make it a less-than-ideal environment for customers looking to relax.
Use Disposable Items
Single-use items have remained the standard in spas for decades because they prevent contamination and protect customers. Every spa employee should be strictly instructed to dispose of these items safely after they use them. Items that need immediate disposal include gloves, cotton pads, makeup sponges, paper towels, tissues, and hairbands.
While it is not typical for these items to pose a danger to employees, businesses are required to carry out risk assessments for those that are. For example, materials containing alcohol or other irritants should be managed properly. Businesses can assess their risk using a COSHH Assessments template that helps detail the risks they pose. Such templates can be incredibly useful in keeping employees safe, especially when used alongside safety disposal protocols.
Insist on the Highest Levels of Hygiene
Wearing gloves and washing hands regularly is crucial for all spa workers. This includes those who handle skin treatments, styling and massages. However, they are doubly important for workers who might come into contact with bodily fluids.
If this happens, management should instruct them to change all their clothing and put it in a soiled pile to be washed and sterilised later. Sterilisation is more important than disinfection because it targets and kills microbes including viruses, bacteria, and fungi that might have existed in the fluids the employee came into contact with.
Ask Employees to Supervise Hot Tub Use
Some customers will be uncomfortable about employees supervising their spa use, but they should be informed that it is to keep them safe.
Some people might be in danger of slipping and injuring themselves when getting into and out of a hot tub. Instead of taking the risk, it would be better for the management to ask employees to assist them do this. You should also post safety rules for using the spa unsupervised to ensure customers who opt for this remain safe.
Spas should be places of relaxation and pampering. However, they can still be risky for employees and customers if they do not know how to stay safe. The good news is that protecting both parties is manageable, especially for businesses with strict rules that everyone should know and follow.
