COSHH for Self-Employed Hairdressers
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4 - COSHH for Self-Employed Hairdressers
If you rent a chair, work from home, or run your own salon, COSHH applies to you. Not just the salon owner. Not just big businesses. You. This guide explains what COSHH actually requires, what chemicals you need to worry about, and how to do a proper COSHH assessment without drowning in paperwork.
Quick rule of thumb: if you use hair dye, bleach, peroxide, or any chemical product on a client's hair - you need a COSHH assessment for it. No exceptions.
What is COSHH?
COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. It's the law that says anyone who works with hazardous substances must assess the risks and put controls in place to protect themselves, their staff, and anyone else who might be affected - including clients.
The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) enforces COSHH. Their guidance page for hairdressers is about seven bullet points long. That's not enough. This guide fills in the gaps.
Tip for new starters: You need a COSHH assessment for every chemical product you use, even if it's just hair colour. It sounds scary but it's a one-page form. Do it once per product and file it.
"I'm self-employed - does COSHH really apply to me?"
Yes. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 3, places a duty on self-employed people to conduct their work in a way that doesn't expose themselves or others to health and safety risks. COSHH sits under that umbrella.
If you rent a chair, the salon owner has their own COSHH duties for the premises. But your chemicals, your services, your clients - that's on you. You can't rely on the salon owner's assessment to cover products you've brought in yourself.
If you work from home or go mobile, there's nobody else to do it. It's entirely your responsibility.
What counts as a hazardous substance in hairdressing?
More than you'd think. Here are the main ones:
Hair dye chemicals
- PPD (para-phenylenediamine) - the most common cause of occupational contact dermatitis in hairdressers. Found in most permanent hair dyes.
- Ammonia - opens the hair cuticle to let colour in. Irritates eyes, nose, throat, and skin.
- Hydrogen peroxide - the developer in colour mixing. Causes burns at higher concentrations.
Bleach and lightening products
- Contain persulphates (potassium, ammonium, or sodium). These are known respiratory sensitisers - they can trigger occupational asthma.
Keratin treatments
- Some contain formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing chemicals (methylene glycol). Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. Even "formaldehyde-free" products sometimes release it when heated. Always check the safety data sheet.
Perm solutions
- Contain thioglycolate (ammonium or glyceryl). Strong skin sensitiser. Can cause dermatitis with repeated exposure.
Aerosol sprays
- Hairspray, dry shampoo, colour sprays. The propellants and fine particles are respiratory irritants, especially in poorly ventilated spaces.
Cleaning chemicals
- Barbicide, surface disinfectants, sterilising solutions. Often contain quaternary ammonium compounds or glutaraldehyde.
What COSHH requires you to do
There are five steps. They're not complicated, but you do need to actually do them - and write them down.
Step 1: Identify the hazardous substances you use
Go through every product you use in a typical working week. Include hair colour, developer, bleach, toner, perm solution, keratin treatments, styling products, cleaning products, and anything else with a warning label or safety data sheet (SDS).
Every manufacturer must provide a safety data sheet. If you can't find one, check their website or email them. If they won't provide one, don't use the product.
Step 2: Assess the risks
For each substance, ask:
- How could it harm someone? (skin contact, breathing it in, swallowing, eye contact)
- Who could be harmed? (you, clients, other chair renters, anyone nearby)
- How likely is it? (every time you use it, occasionally, rarely)
- How serious could the harm be? (mild irritation, chemical burns, long-term disease)
You don't need to write an essay. A few sentences per product is fine.
Step 3: Decide on controls
This is the practical bit. For each risk, what are you going to do about it? Common controls include:
- Substitution - can you use a less hazardous product? PPD-free colour, ammonia-free colour, formaldehyde-free keratin treatments.
- Ventilation - open windows, extractor fans, don't use aerosols in closed spaces.
- PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) - gloves, aprons, eye protection where needed.
- Safe storage - chemicals locked away, upright, away from food, drink, and children.
- Patch testing - mandatory for colour services (more on this below).
- Good hygiene - wash hands, change gloves between clients, don't eat or drink in the work area.
Tip for new starters: Don't overthink the controls list. Gloves, ventilation, and following the manufacturer's instructions covers 90% of what you need. Write it down and move on.
Step 4: Record your assessment
Write it down. It doesn't have to be a 40-page corporate document. A table with columns for: product name, hazards, who's at risk, controls, and review date - that's enough.
BeautyKiln has a free COSHH assessment template you can download and fill in. It takes about 30 minutes for a typical hairdresser's product list.
Step 5: Review regularly
Review your COSHH assessment at least once a year. Also review it when you start using a new product, when you change your working environment (e.g., move from salon to home), or if someone reports a reaction.
A simple COSHH assessment you can actually do
Here's an example entry for a typical permanent hair colour:
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Product | XYZ Professional Permanent Colour |
| Hazardous ingredients | PPD, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide (developer) |
| How it could cause harm | Skin contact - dermatitis, allergic reaction. Inhalation - respiratory irritation. Eye contact - chemical burns. |
| Who's at risk | You (repeated daily exposure), client (allergic reaction), anyone nearby (fumes) |
| Controls | Nitrile gloves for every application. Apron. Patch test 48 hours before every colour service. Adequate ventilation - window open or extractor fan running. Mix in well-ventilated area. Eye wash station available. Store upright in locked cupboard. |
| Review date | [Date - at least annually] |
Do one of these for every hazardous product you use. Keep them in a folder - physical or digital. If the HSE ever asks, you can hand it over.
PPD and patch testing
PPD (para-phenylenediamine) deserves its own section because it's the single biggest chemical risk in hairdressing.
PPD is in most permanent hair dyes. It's also one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis. Reactions range from mild itching and redness to severe swelling, blistering, and in rare cases anaphylaxis.
Patch testing is not optional. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you have a duty to provide services with reasonable care and skill. If a client has an allergic reaction to colour and you didn't patch test, you're liable. Your insurance may not pay out.
The standard patch test protocol:
- Apply a small amount of mixed colour behind the ear or in the crook of the elbow
- Leave for 48 hours
- Client checks for any reaction - redness, itching, swelling, rash
- If any reaction, do not proceed with the colour service
Patch test every client, every time. Even regular clients. Sensitivity can develop at any point - a client who's been fine for ten years can suddenly react. Some salons do it every 6 months for regulars as a minimum. The safest approach is every visit.
Keep a record of every patch test: client name, date, product used, result.
Gloves: which type and when
Wear gloves every time you handle colour, bleach, perm solution, or cleaning chemicals. Every time. Not just when you remember.
Nitrile gloves are the best choice for hairdressing. They're resistant to most salon chemicals and don't cause latex allergies.
Latex gloves work but carry a real risk. Latex allergy affects around 1-6% of the general population and is higher among people with frequent exposure. If you develop a latex allergy, it can be career-ending. Nitrile is the safer bet.
Vinyl gloves are cheap but offer poor chemical resistance. They're fine for non-chemical tasks but not suitable for colour or bleach work.
Disposable vs reusable: Disposable nitrile gloves are standard. Change them between clients and between tasks (don't apply colour then do a head massage with the same gloves). Some hairdressers use reusable rubber gloves for heavy bleach work - that's fine as long as you check them for holes regularly.
Fit matters. Loose gloves catch on combs and brushes. Too tight and they tear. Get the right size.
Ventilation
"Adequate ventilation" is one of those phrases the HSE loves but never properly explains. Here's what it means in practice:
In a commercial salon: At minimum, openable windows or an extractor fan in the colour mixing area. Air should move - if you can smell ammonia strongly, ventilation isn't adequate. Mechanical ventilation (extractor fans) is better than just opening a window, especially in winter when nobody wants the window open.
In a home salon: This is where it gets tricky. Spare bedrooms and converted garages often have poor ventilation. One small window might not be enough if you're doing multiple colour services back to back. Consider a portable extractor fan. Never do keratin treatments in a small, enclosed room without mechanical extraction - the formaldehyde risk is real.
Mobile hairdressing: You're in someone else's home, so you have less control. Open a window. If the room is tiny and poorly ventilated, say so - you're within your rights to refuse to do a chemical service in unsafe conditions.
Keratin treatments specifically: These involve heating the product with straighteners, which can release formaldehyde gas. The HSE workplace exposure limit for formaldehyde is 2 ppm (parts per million) over 15 minutes. In a small room with poor ventilation, a single keratin treatment can exceed this. If you offer keratin treatments, invest in proper extraction.
Occupational asthma and dermatitis
Hairdressers have some of the highest rates of occupational skin disease and respiratory disease in any profession. This isn't scare-mongering - it's documented fact.
Occupational dermatitis - red, cracked, itchy, sore hands. Usually caused by repeated exposure to PPD, peroxide, thioglycolate, or wet work (hands in water all day). Early signs: dry patches on the backs of your hands, between your fingers, or around your nails. Itching that gets worse during the working week and improves on holiday.
Occupational asthma - triggered by breathing in persulphates (from bleach powder), formaldehyde, or aerosol sprays. Early signs: wheezing, coughing, or tight chest that's worse at work or after certain treatments.
What to do if you notice symptoms:
- See your GP. Tell them what you do for work and what chemicals you're exposed to.
- Your GP can refer you to an occupational health specialist.
- Report it. If a doctor diagnoses you with occupational asthma or dermatitis, it should be reported under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013). Your employer reports it if you're employed. If you're self-employed, you report it yourself via the HSE website.
Don't ignore early signs. Occupational dermatitis caught early is manageable - better gloves, barrier cream, moisturise regularly, avoid the trigger substance. Left untreated, it can become chronic and force you out of the profession.
What happens if the HSE investigates?
The HSE doesn't inspect every salon. But they do investigate complaints, reported injuries, and diseases. If they turn up and you have no COSHH assessment:
- Improvement notice - they tell you what to fix and give you a deadline. You can keep working.
- Prohibition notice - they stop you from doing a specific activity until you've fixed it. This could mean no colour services until your COSHH assessment is done.
- Prosecution - for serious or repeated failures. Fines for individuals can be unlimited. In extreme cases (someone seriously harmed), prison sentences are possible.
Having a basic COSHH assessment in place is straightforward. Not having one is a risk you don't need to take.
Storing chemicals safely
Whether you work in a salon, at home, or go mobile:
- Keep chemicals in their original containers with labels intact
- Store upright, in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight
- Keep away from food, drink, and children
- Lock them up if you work from home and have kids
- Don't decant products into unmarked bottles
- Check expiry dates - expired products can behave unpredictably
- Keep safety data sheets accessible - either printed in a folder or saved on your phone
What to do next
- List every chemical product you currently use
- Get the safety data sheet for each one (manufacturer's website or email them)
- Complete a COSHH assessment - use the BeautyKiln template or create your own
- Check your glove supply - nitrile, correct size, enough stock
- Check your ventilation - is it actually adequate?
- Set a calendar reminder to review your assessment annually
Who to Contact
- HSE (Health and Safety Executive): 0300 003 1647 (Free) - general COSHH guidance: hse.gov.uk/hairdressing
- Your GP - if you have symptoms of dermatitis or asthma (Free)
- Your insurer - check your policy covers the chemical treatments you offer (Paid)
- Your local council Environmental Health team (Free) - if you're unsure about ventilation requirements
- Citizens Advice: 0800 144 8848 (Free) - general health and safety rights at work
Sources
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
- HSE guidance: "Preventing contact dermatitis and urticaria in the workplace"
- HSE guidance: COSHH in hairdressing - hse.gov.uk/hairdressing/substances.htm
- Consumer Rights Act 2015
- RIDDOR - Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013
Related Guides
- COSHH for Mobile and Home-Based Workers
- Patch Testing: Your Legal Obligations
- Sterilisation and Infection Control
- Waste Disposal for Beauty Businesses
- Insurance for Self-Employed Beauty Workers
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Key Contacts
HSE (Health and Safety Executive):
0300 003 1647 - general COSHH guidance: hse.gov.uk/hairdressingFree
Your GP
if you have symptoms of dermatitis or asthmaFree
Your insurer
check your policy covers the chemical treatments you offerPaid
Your local council Environmental Health team
if you're unsure about ventilation requirementsFree