Sanitary requirements for a beauty salon – what does the sanitary inspectorate require?

What sanitary requirements must a beauty salon meet?

For a long time, sanitary requirements were defined by the provisions of the Regulation of the Minister of Health of 17 February 2004 on detailed sanitary requirements to be met by hairdressing, cosmetic, tattoo and biological renewal establishments.

However, it is now no longer binding and the main requirements are decided by local sanitary authorities. That said, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the provisions of the now obsolete regulation, as there is a lot of helpful information there.

New legislation in this area is also being developed and a draft can be found online.

In addition, other regulations apply to the operation of a beauty salon, including:

• Act of 5 December 2008 on the prevention and control of infections and infectious diseases in humans,
• Act of 4 October 2018 on cosmetic products,
• Act of 14 December 2012 on waste.

Beauty salon – basic sanitary requirements

Supervision of beauty salons and other salons in the beauty industry is conducted by the State Sanitary Inspectorate. Ongoing and emergency supervision, on the other hand, is handled by the district sanitary-epidemiological stations, i.e. SES.

To run the beauty salon safely and legally, it is necessary to meet certain sanitary requirements.

When it comes to sanitary requirements, the beauty salon should meet the following conditions:

• The salon must be in a separate part of the building or premises or in a separate building,
• The entrance leading to the salon should be a separate part of the building, but may be shared by all users,
• There should be separate rooms in the salon: a service room, a waiting room or a separate area with a clothes rack, a staff room, a hygiene and sanitation room,
• The salon should have hot and cold water and sewage systems, ventilation and heating,
• Walls at basins and sinks should be covered with a non-absorbent material to a minimum height of 1.6 m,
• When cosmetics that cause external body contamination are used in the salon, a bathroom with a shower should be set aside in the salon,
• The salon staff should observe personal hygiene, wear clean protective clothing and use personal protective equipment,
• Hygiene products such as disposable liners and clean towels for clients should be used,
• Tools and equipment in the salon must be kept in good hygienic and sanitary condition by being washed and disinfected, while reusable tools and those used in procedures that break the continuity of human tissue require sterilization at the Cabinet Sterilization Station,
• Every salon should have a first aid kit.

In line with SES requirements, the beauty salon must therefore meet a number of conditions in order to operate with an emphasis on hygiene and safety.

Beauty salon furniture

As far as sanitary requirements are concerned, the beauty salon must be equipped with the right furniture, including furniture for treatments and waiting areas.

Salon furniture should be suitable for hygienic treatments and easy to clean and disinfect. This is particularly important for cosmetic chairs and cosmetic recliners. The most commonly used furniture is upholstered in eco-leather, which is easy to keep clean.

Other furnishings, including desks, wardrobes and bookcases, can be made of different materials, but should also be easy to clean – for example, lacquered furniture boards, metal or glass will work well.

Should a beauty salon be reported to the sanitary authorities?

Currently, it is no longer necessary to report the start of a beauty salon to the sanitary authorities.

This is only necessary in certain situations – for example, when the use of the premises changes, when there are deviations from technical conditions, or when planning permission is required for the premises.

You can consult the salon’s design with the sanitary authorities to check it against hygiene requirements and make sure it meets everything this institution requires.

Sanitary inspection of a beauty salon

Any salon can be inspected by the sanitary inspectorate, which will examine the sanitary conditions in the salon. This inspection may be announced or unannounced.

The inspection conducted by the sanitary inspectorate in the beauty salon includes an assessment of:

• Documentation related to the facility, such as inspections of installations and waste disposal,
• Medical certificates confirming there are no contraindications to working in the profession,
• Hygienic and sanitary conditions,
• The procedures implemented in the salon,
• The sterilization log,
• Safety data sheets, attestations, and certificates for the products used in the salon.

When opening and running the beauty salon, it is therefore worth bearing in mind that it must meet certain sanitary requirements, which is crucial for the health and safety of employees and for the safety and satisfaction of clients.