Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

This protects your rights as an employer or employee. The law states that the employer must provide a safe working environment, provide health and safety training for staff, produce a written policy of the company’s health and safety policy and ensure that anyone on their premises is not exposed to any health or safety risks.

Trade Descriptions Act (1968 and 1972)

These Acts prohibit the use of false descriptions of goods or services. The information must always be accurate, false comparisons must not be made, and misleading price comparisons must not be made. A product may not be described as being of a 'reduced' price if it has not been available at a higher price for a minimum of 28 days.

General Data Protection Regulation GDPR  

If you are collecting and storing personal data as a therapist, then you will need to comply with GDPR. You will need to decide which of the six lawful bases on which you will collect and store personal data and inform your clients of how and why you will retain their data and for how long. The Independent Commissioners Office will provide you with all relevant information.

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 

This states that goods must be as described and of satisfactory quality. They should be fit for purpose and safe for use. It is the responsibility of the retailer to correct a problem where the goods are not as described.

COSHH Regulations and Risk Assessment (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health)

COSHH regulations cover the essential requirements for controlling exposure to hazardous substances, and for protecting people who may be affected by them. You should carry out a COSHH assessment to identify all chemicals, products or other substances which could cause harm. 

A substance is considered to be hazardous if it can cause harm to the body. It poses a risk if it is inhaled, ingested, in contact with the skin, absorbed through the skin, injected into the body or introduced to the body through cuts.

Always check the ingredients and instructions of all products to see what they contain and ensure they are correctly stored. If the product could cause harm, it should be listed on your COSHH assessment, together with what the risk is and who is at risk from it. 

Next, decide on the degree of risk and who to minimise that risk. If you can, try to replace high-risk products with lower risk ones. Never leave chemicals identified as hazardous in areas accessible to the general public. Do not forget, COSHH substances include both those used for treatments and cleaning.

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982

A special treatment licence will be required if you carry out any form of massage, electrolysis or ear piercing and tattooing as they may produce blood and body tissue fluid. Each borough council in the UK has different requirements, so you should contact them to see whether they require you to hold a licence for the treatments you offer.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Employers should make formal arrangements for maintaining and improving safe working conditions and practices. This includes competency training and risk assessments.

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Employers should make formal arrangements for maintaining and improving safe working conditions and practices. This includes competency training and risk assessments.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

This is relevant wherever manual lifting occurs to prevent skeletal and muscular disorders. The employer should undertake a risk assessment for all activities involving manual lifting.

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2022

This requires employers to identify activities which require special protective clothing, which must then be made available.

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992

This covers the use of display screens and computer screens. This specifies the acceptable levels of radiation emissions from the screen, as well as identifying the correct posture and the number of rest periods.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1992

Electrical items are potentially hazardous and should be used and maintained properly. You should always ensure that you are fully trained on a piece of equipment before operating it. 

All electrical equipment should be regularly PAT tested to ensure it is safe to use. If any equipment is deemed to be faulty or unsafe, you should stop using it immediately and report the problem. Make sure the equipment is clearly marked as faulty until the problem has been corrected to avoid it being used by other members of staff.

Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981

Whatever the size of your business, you should always make sure you have a First Aid kit on-site, as well as an eyewash bottle. You should ensure this is fully stocked at all times. You should have at least one 'Appointed Person' on hand to take charge in an emergency who holds an HSE-approved basic first aid qualification. You can contact the HSE on 0845 345 0055 for a list of suitable training providers.

RIDDOR-The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013

Employers should report any such cases to the HSE Incident Contact Centre. This includes loss of sight, amputation, fracture and electric shock. In all cases where a personal injury of any type occurs, it should be recorded in an accident book.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) 2005

All premises must have adequate means of dealing with a fire, and all members of staff should know where these are. This can include fire extinguishers and blankets; however, you should only operate a fire extinguisher if you have been properly trained to do so. All equipment should be checked and maintained regularly.

Fire Drill notices should be clearly displayed and should inform people of what to do in case of a fire. All staff should be trained in the location of alarms, exits and meeting points.

Consumer Protection Act 1987

This Act aims to protect the customer from unsafe or defective services or products. All staff should be trained in using and maintaining products.

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

This states the duties of any users of the equipment. It identifies the requirements in selecting and maintaining suitable equipment, as well as the training and safe use of it.

Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 2008

These regulations require that cosmetics and toiletries are safe for their intended purpose and comply with labelling requirements.

The Equality Act 2010

gives disabled people important rights of access to everyday services. Service providers have an obligation to make reasonable adjustments to premises or to the way they provide a service. Sometimes it just takes minor changes to make a service accessible. What is considered a reasonable adjustment for a large business such as a bank, may be different from what is a reasonable adjustment for a small local salon. It is about what is practical in the service provider’s individual situation and what resources the business may have. They will not be required to make adjustments that are not reasonable because they are unaffordable or impractical.

Smoking

All areas of work in the UK should now be smoke free by law. If you do have a smoking area, this should be clearly marked. You should display signs prohibiting smoking within your business.

Laundry

All uniforms, towels and couch covers should be laundered with a detergent at a minimum temperature of 60 degrees centigrade and then tumble dried on a hot setting. If your towels are white they can be washed on the hottest setting your machine will allow. Never let towels stand while wet.

Hand Washing

Remember to always wash your hands before and after every treatment. This should involve a thorough 20 to 30 second wash of the hands and wrists using hot water and liquid soap, followed by drying with paper towels or hand drier. Certain areas of the hands are more prone to harboring microorganisms. These are between fingers, the finger tips, the thumb and back of the hand and wrist.

Waste

Anything contaminated with human tissues (blood, bodily fluids, excretions, swabs) should be designated as a group A clinical waster under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992.