The Importance of Attending a Covid Safe Salon
Covid-19 has become the irritating neighbour of viruses... it's annoyingly waiting for you every time you leave the house and no matter what you do it just won't take a hint and go away!
But unlike your nosey neighbour the Covid-19 virus cannot be ignored as our Melbourne friends can attest to. It needs to be planned for as we continually redefine the new normal of our daily lives going forward, and since the role of hairdressers was named an essential service earlier this year the importance of attending a Covid Safe salon for you and your family is now equally as essential.
Firstly, I don't blame you if you don't exactly know what makes for a Covid Safe Salon. Safety expectations are changing quite rapidly, but essentially creating a safe and controlled environment using various forms of protection is the goal. A Covid safe salon is one that goes further than merely practicing social distancing with additional tangible strategies that help keep you safe during your appointment.
Here are the measures that we have put in place in our salon here in Rozelle, along with how our clients have responded to these seemingly small changes that have resulted in a higher level of safety for our stylists and our guests without compromising on your comfort or experience.
Officially registered as a Covid Safe Salon
Only attending a salon that has been registered as a Covid safe business with the NSW Government ensures that you are entering a premises that has a completed a Covid-19 safety plan and made a commitment to your safety.
There are different safety plans that exist for different industries and salons have some common practices to enhance hygiene and safety, social distancing and customer wellbeing.
Our hairdressers wear masks... all the time
Once viewed with some uncertainty, hairdressers wearing masks should now be viewed as a mandatory step in keeping guests safe during their visit.
Additionally we have reduced or reorganised our staff's working hours to create more space throughout the week. This has resulted in not only a safer environment, but also a calmer and more tranquil experience for guests in the salon.
Temperature Checks and Sanitiser... leave your Corona at the door!
All guests that visit Emma Dean Salon are strongly encouraged to use our hand sanitiser that we provide at the front desk, as well as have their temperature taken with a contactless thermometer.
Any temperature reading of more than 37.4 degrees holds some level of concern (unless you've just run from the car because you were running late for your appointment!). While this initially seems slightly imposing we've found most guests are quite interested in their results. I know I want to know if I'm running a little hot given the current situation!
Hospital grade disinfectant and air filtration system
This is where we step things up a notch.
Emma Dean Salon owns an air filtration system that removes harmful particles from the air every few minutes. This is a step not taken by most salons, but we believe it to be an effective measure to increase safety.
Hospital grade disinfectant is used to wipe down all stations before and after they are used, as well as common areas such as the basin chairs and waiting areas. This thorough cleaning of all surfaces is an essential part of any safety plan and must be carried out after every appointment.
"We also wipe down the door handles, reception desk, EFTPOS machine and all other surfaces multiple times a day," says Megan, who is the bright, smiling (even with her mask on!) face that greets most clients when they first arrive.
"You can't be too careful when it comes to peoples safety. Our guests really trust us to take care of them during their visit and we take that responsibility very seriously".
No glass cups, No magazines... No worries!
Disposable cups have replaced glass wear and, unfortunately, we have removed all magazines from the salon. Catching up on the latest goss from around the world can be a fun part of your salon downtime which is why guests are more than welcome to bring their own reading material until we feel these can be reintroduced.
Perspex dividers at the basin
We're quite fortunate here at our salon in Rozelle that we have ample space and high ceilings, so our stations are already 1.5 metres apart which adheres to the regulatory guidelines.
The basin chairs sit quite close to each other however, so to ensure guests are able to focus on their head melting massage and shampooing we have installed custom made perspex dividers to separate guests when sitting next to each other.
It's a simple step, but like the masks it further enhances the goals of social distancing without compromising on the relaxing experience that Emma Dean has built it's reputation on over the past 10 years.
What are our clients are saying?
Overall the feedback we've had from our loyal guests on these new measures has been overwhelmingly positive; a warm combination of understanding and appreciative.
"I've found that the number one thing that our guests have said is how safe they feel in the salon. They can easily see all the strategies that we have put in place to ensure their safety and comfort," Says Megan...
"A lot of our clients have felt so appreciative to be able to get out of the house and just relax. They can leave the craziness of 2020 at the door and just do something normal like getting their hair done and feel at ease!"
So if you're looking for a safe yet relaxing environment (and to get your hair looking it's absolute best!) click below to book your next appointment at Emma Dean Salon.