Business owners and their staff from East Riding salons are celebrating after winning in the hairdressing, beauty and barbering categories at Habia’s National UK Health and Safety Awards in London – for the second year running.
To celebrate their achievement representatives from Spirit, Pocklington; Indulgence, Howden; Toffs Barbers, Goole- all 2010/11 winners and Tim’s Hairdressing, Beverley; Joanne Mahoney Salon, Howden; and Totally Faces, Kirkella the UK’s 2009/10 winners, were invited to the East Riding College Salon in Beverley to be congratulated by the leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Councillor Stephen Parnaby, OBE, and Councillor Jane Evison portfolio holder for cultural services, housing and public protection.
Cllr Evison said: “Becoming UK safety champions is a superb achievement for the six salons from our area. Incorporating excellent standards of health and safety within salon practice is clearly good for business reputation and this does not have to be time consuming or expensive. I would encourage all salons in the area to engage in dialogue with Habia and council inspectors to this end.“
Over the past four years local salons have been inspected for cleanliness and safe practices. Three salons are then nominated for demonstrating exceptional commitment to health and safety, before providing a portfolio of their business and details of health and safety initiatives they have implemented. Winners are then selected by an appointed panel of Habia and HSE experts.
East Riding College became the first college in the country to gain the local Habia award and is now working with the council to encourage more salons to gain this standard.
Natalee Eddom, head of hair and beauty at East Riding College, added: “The college’s hair and beauty team and learners work closely to maintain high standards of health and Safety with its by robust risk assessment process and regular monitoring. The award provides public recognition and confidence in standards practised and maintained within the salon to ensure employee and customer safety.”
Organised by Habia, with support from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities, the National Health and Safety Awards showcase salons that have achieved Habia’s regional award but have gone the extra mile beyond what is normally required to set an example to their fellow businesses.
Wendy Nixon, Habia’s health and safety expert, said, “It’s an incredible achievement for one local authority area to achieve a clean sweep in the National Health and Safety Awards for two years running. It just goes to show how much effort East Riding of Yorkshire Council and salons in the region have put into the awards in terms of commitment.”
Paul and Alex outside Tim’s Hairdressing in Beverley with the trophy they were awarded
