Hairdressers and barbers provide a wide range of services, including hair cutting, colouring, and styling, as well as facial hair grooming.
As a result, hairdressing employees work around multiple hazards. If you’re injured in a hairdressing or beauty salon, you may be without a source of income for some time, perhaps even long term.
Employers are legally required to obtain worker’s compensation to protect employees if they’re injured or become ill at work. So you may be eligible for hairdressing injury compensation to help you pay the bills, including medical and hospital bills, while you recover.
Worker’s compensation (or WorkCover) applies whether you work in a large hairdressing salon, a small shop, someone’s home, or a mobile service that goes to private homes.
To get the full amount you’re entitled to, consider engaging a legal team with years of experience with hairdressing compensation claims, like Main Lawyers.
Hairdressing Industry Hazards
Most employers in the hairdressing and beauty industry are proud of their business and want to protect employees from injury. However, accidents do happen, often when employees aren’t trained or supervised adequately or hazards aren’t addressed, particularly when the business is busy.
Here are some common risks in the hairdressing industry:
Chemical hazards
Hairdressing salons use bleach, peroxide, and other solutions that could burn the skin and eyes if used incorrectly or without protective clothing. They could also be inhaled, damaging the respiratory system, or ingested, resulting in poisoning.
Slips and falls
With all the products, water, and fallen hair on the floor, it’s not surprising that slips and falls are a common cause of injury in hairdressing businesses. Without strict attention to these hazards, employees can break bones or even sustain head injuries if they slip and hit basins. If they’re holding sharp scissors at the time, it’s even more dangerous!
Back, shoulder, and joint problems
Because hairdressing employees stand up and use their hands all day, they need training in avoiding back, shoulder, and feet aches, and repetitive stress injuries. Employees can suffer long-term pain and injury if this common problem is ignored.
Cuts and burns
Hair services require sharp and hot equipment, such as blow dryers, straighteners, razors, and scissors. Therefore, employees can suffer constant cuts and burns in their work if employers don’t put protocols in place to protect them.
Claiming compensation for a hairdressing injury
If you’ve suffered a hairdressing injury, tell your employer immediately and start making a WorkCover claim quickly.
The insurer will consider various factors in deciding how much you’re eligible for, including:
- how the accident has affected your life (and may continue to in the future)
- how much income you have lost and will lose
- whether you can perform another role while you recover
- how much your employer was responsible for the accident.
Keep all relevant records that could help prove your case, including medical records, photos, and witness statements.
Getting professional help with your claim
At Main Lawyers, we can offer you a free, no-obligation chat about making a hairdressing injury compensation claim.
We can assess your situation to determine whether you have a case and then work on your behalf to get you the payout you deserve.
There are time limits on worker’s compensation applications, so contact us today to discuss making a claim.