OH NO! Accidents Happen

We all make mistakes in this industry. It’s inevitable that we may have an “off" day, a day when something slips our minds and skips a necessary step, or perhaps a day when we get too busy to clean up properly after a service. Associated Hair Professionals liability insurance is here to help in the case that something may happen—be it a slip and fall, color on a clients’ shirt collar, or even a nick from clippers. It can happen and we are here to help. Here’s an example of an “OH NO” incident.  

It was a typical busy day in the salon. A man came in to get a haircut before the holidays, as many people do. A newer stylist was open to take walk-ins and was available for this client. After the consultation, it was decided he was going to get a #2 on the sides and back, blended into finger length on the top. The gentleman also requested that he have a squared neckline. As the stylist was finishing up the service, she started shaving and cleaning up his neck with her trimmers. As she proceeded to shave his neck, she noticed his skin turning red. She didn’t think anything of it, finished the service and they both went on with their day. About an hour or so after the gentleman left the salon, he called back complaining of scratched, red, irritated skin. Very upset with the receptionist on the phone, he started saying how terrible of a stylist the girl was and questioned how she could have deliberately hurt him. The salon asked for pictures of his neck, and he did in fact have scratches, red marks, and raised skin. After a lot of back and forth, it turned out the stylist’s trimmers were dull; she cleaned them after every service but never maintained them with oil or learned how to properly take care of them.  

This incident is an example that happens more than we’d like to admit. It wasn’t neglect but rather miseducation on how to properly care for tools. The client sought professional medical advice, was soon healed, and went about his business. The stylist was properly taught how to care for her tools and ensured that didn’t happen again.  

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