OSH in the hairdressing sector

Introduction

The hairdressing sector in Europe employs more than one million people. The sector is dominated by small establishments with, on average, fewer than three workers. Over 80% of those who work in the sector are women, many working part-time or on a self-employed basis[1]. These last factors can present challenges in managing OSH risks.The potential risks are significant and are wide-ranging, including occupational skin diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and problems with mental health and well-being. In the 2014 ESENER-2 survey, “Having to deal with difficult customers, patients, pupils etc." was identified as the most commonly encountered risk across all…