Habia is warning salon owners to be aware of a number of companies targeting small businesses with misleading posters about new health and safety laws.

Employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations (HSIER) to display the official Health and Safety Executive (HSE) poster in each workplace or provide each worker with a copy of the equivalent pocket card. A new law poster has been produced by the HSE, but employers have until 5 April 2014 to replace the posters or provide pocket cards. The misleading promotions include emails and a mailshot in a brown envelope, overprinted with the words ‘Legal Notice Action required’. The communications state that the old poster must be replaced immediately by new ones displayed on every notice board within the business premises. Vinny Kenny, from HSE said: ‘The information that is being sent out by some companies may be misleading under consumer protection legislation and we want to put a stop to it. If businesses receive any promotions relating to the Law poster or pocket card and are in any doubt about their authenticity they should contact HSE on 0845 945 0055 before parting with their money.’

The salon owner or manager’s number one priority and personal responsibility must be the effective recruitment, management and retention of talented stylists and staff. The salon’s success or failure is dependent upon the quality and productivity of the salon team, therefore the salon owner or manager must manage first and work a column second; it can’t be the other way around.