For our Members in England
Following yesterday’s announcement from Government, you are now able to return to work from Monday 13th July, ensuring you follow all UK Government Guidance found in this directive:-
KEEPING WORKERS AND CLIENTS SAFE DURING COVID-19 IN CLOSE CONTACT SERVICES
COVID-19 secure guidance for employers, employees and the self-employed
July 2020
Working Safely During Covid-19
- This guidance states that we must not treat high risk zones, defined as “the area in front of the face where splashes and droplets from the nose and mouth may be present, which can pose a hazard”.
- It is essential that full infection control measures are in place and that you have carried out a full risk assessment to ensure you are Covid-19 secure, before you commence any work
Ensure you have confirmation that you are covered by your Professional Indemnity Insurance provider
NHS Track and Trace
The guidance also states in Section 2.1 that “The opening up of the economy following the Covid-19 outbreak is being supported by NHS Test and Trace. You should assist this service by keeping a temporary record of your clients and visitors for 21 days, in a way that is manageable for your business, and assist NHS Test and Trace with requests for that data if needed.”
Government Regulations
Everyone is required to follow these Regulations so do please read these here The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2020
The full UK Government Press Release 9th July 2020 is here Beauty salons set to reopen….
- Practical guidelines to allow more beauty businesses, including tattoo studios, nail bars and spas, to reopen for some services from 13 July
- businesses must be able to meet the COVID-19 secure guidelines developed in consultation with the beauty industry to reopen, protecting customers and workers
- only services that do not involve work in the highest risk zone – directly in front of the face – should be made available to clients
Beauty salons, nail bars, tattoo and massage studios, physical therapy businesses and spas across England will be able to reopen safely from Monday 13 July under new government plans, announced today (9 July).
Updated COVID-19 secure guidance sets out the measures that those providing close contact services should follow to protect staff and customers. Only services that do not involve work in the highest risk zone – directly in front of the face – should be made available to clients. This means that treatments such as face waxing, eyelash treatments, make-up application and facial treatments, should not be provided until government advice changes, due to the much greater risk of transmission.
Where 2 metre social distancing cannot be maintained, for example when providing a treatment, the person providing the service should wear further protection in addition to any that they may usually wear. This should be a clear visor that covers the face, or the use of a screen or other barrier that protects the practitioner and the customer from respiratory droplets caused by sneezing, coughing or speaking.
The government has worked with a range of stakeholders in the beauty industry to develop the measures close contact services will need to consider to become COVID-19 secure, including:
- using screens or barriers to separate clients from each other, and to separate practitioners from clients, such as in nail salons
- operating an appointment-only booking system to minimise the number of people on the premises at any one time
- keeping the activity time involved to a minimum
- increasing the frequency of hand washing and surface cleaning, as well as regularly cleaning equipment or using disposable equipment where possible
- avoiding skin to skin contact and wearing gloves where it is not crucial to the service, such as in nail bars and tanning salons
- maintaining sufficient spacing between customer chairs
- not allowing food or drink, other than water, to be consumed in the salon by customers
- making sure a limited and fixed number of workers work together, if they have to be in close proximity to do their jobs
Business Secretary, Alok Sharma said:
We have been clear throughout this crisis that we want as many businesses as possible to reopen, but we must be confident it is safe for them to do so.
From Monday 13 July thousands more businesses which offer close contact services like nail and beauty salons will be able to welcome customers back in a way that is safe for both workers and the public. Enabling these often small, independent businesses to reopen is yet another step in our plan to kickstart the economy to support jobs and incomes across the country.
Millie Kendall MBE, British Beauty Council, said:
The decision to broaden the scope of available hair and beauty services will allow many more beauty professionals to get back to work, and will also allow customers to benefit from a range of beauty treatments which can be carried out safely for both client and practitioner. It’s a positive step, but we are still only part of the way there. We will keep working closely with governing bodies and supporting everyone in beauty until we are able to achieve the fully-reinvigorated beauty industry we all want.
The guidance also applies to businesses that operate in different locations, such as massage therapists working in people’s homes, and those learning in vocational training environments.
Businesses will need to keep records of staff and customers and share these with NHS Test and Trace where requested, to help identify people who may have been exposed to the virus.
Businesses will only be able to open from these dates once they have completed a risk assessment and are confident they are managing the risks. They must have taken the necessary steps to become COVID-19 secure in line with the current Health and Safety legislation.
Employers should display a downloadable notice in their workplaces to show their employees, customers and other visitors to their workplace, that they have followed this guidance.
For our Members in Wales
The Welsh Government announced yesterday that practices providing face to face therapies can resume work on the 13th July 2020 and that close contact services providing ‘hands-on’ therapies can reopen on 27th July 2020.
https://gov.wales/first-minister-announces-further-steps-to-unlock-wales
For our Members in Scotland
The latest update from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon states that the country is now moving into Phase 3 out of lockdown. It announced yesterday that practices providing face to face therapies can reopen on 15th July 2020 and that close contact services providing ‘hands-on’ therapies can reopen on 22nd July 2020.
https://news.gov.scot/news/moving-to-phase-3-of-lockdown-route-map
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-framework-decision-making-scotlands-route-map-through-out-crisis-phase-3-update/
For our Members in Northern Ireland
As we have already advised, Northern Ireland were able to resume work on 6th July 2020.
We strongly recommend that Practitioners contact their own Local Health Authority for clarification of being able to practice in their particular town/city.
There are no published guidelines for how close contact work can resume so we advise that members follow the UK Guidelines (link at the end of this email).
https://www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/news/executive-agrees-changes-help-families-and-most-vulnerable
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/coronavirus-covid-19
GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITY GUIDANCE
As we await guidance from the Welsh and Scottish Governments as to when members can return to work in these countries, we would again advise members to be aware of which Local Health Authority they work under. Going forward, local lockdowns may be imposed, and every person has a responsibility to ensure they comply both with Government guidance and local authority guidance. You cannot work if your local area is placed back into lockdown.
UK Reiki Federation – GUIDELINES FOR RETURNING TO WORK
We are currently updating our previous guidance which will then be sent to all our members via email and will also be in our Members Section on our website.
Please also check this Government website for reopening your business safely Reopening your Business Safely
Stay well everyone
The UKRF Team
