Minister for Regulation David Seymour wants to trim the rules the country’s salons must adhere to, today announcing a “short and sharp” review of the regulations.
“The review will seek to give the industry a regulatory ‘buzz cut’, as barbers and hairdressers deal with regulations which have been out of style since the 80s,” Seymour said.
So, what are the current regulations around hairdressing?
No wine or cuppa with that haircut
A bill proposing to allow people to have a cup of tea or a glass of wine while they had their hair cut came as quite the surprise last month, especially for the many, many customers who have happily had a cuppa while their roots were done.
The Health (Hairdressers) Regulations Act of 1980 says no refreshments can be served to customers in any part of a salon where hair is being cut.
Even if drinks were allowed in hair-cutting areas, offering a complementary glass of wine without a liquor licence is also prohibited under alcohol laws.
A private member’s bill lodged by National MP Dana Kirkpatrick in November sought to rid salons and barbers of these rules by amending both the Health (Hairdressers) Regulations Act and the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act.
No dogs at the salon
Kirkpatrick’s bill also aimed to repeal rules around dogs at the hairdressers.
The law currently forbids any dogs, other than certified guide dogs for the blind, to enter a hair salon or barber.
Minimum standards for hairdressing
While people don’t need a licence to practise as a hairdresser, there is a long list of minimum standards for salons and barbers.
For example, a salon needs at least three different sinks that are only used for their designated purpose – shampooing hair, cleaning equipment, and washing hands.
The handwashing sink also needs to be within six metres of the hair-cutting chairs.
There are other rules around what surfaces can be covered with, the light intensity in the room, the amount of floor area required, and where equipment can be washed or cleaned — just to name a few.
Hairdresser hygiene standards
The current legislation also spells out rules for the health and personal hygiene of the people cutting hair — specifically that “no person shall work as a hairdresser while [they are] suffering from any condition causing a discharge of pus or serum from any part of the head, neck, hands, or arms”.
Hairdressers and barbers are also supposed to refrain from placing any combs or scissors in their pockets and not use any tobacco products while hairdressing, according to the law.
Health and safety
Every business is legally responsible for the health and safety of its staff, and for making sure its customers are not put at risk – and that includes hairdressers.
Worksafe has a list of what those risks might look like at a hairdressers and how to mitigate them.
Those include dealing with cuts, burns and chemicals, and other risks such as slips, trips, falls and working alone in a salon at night.
