Hairdressers that attend residential aged care facilities help residents look and feel good about themselves. However, it's essential that they also adhere to good infection control practices to prevent infections from spreading.

Personal Hygiene 

Hairdressers must perform hand hygiene before and after attending to a resident as per the '5 Moments of Hand Hygiene'

A clean garment should be worn at all times during work

If a hairdresser has a cut or open wound, especially on their hands or fingers, they should cover it with a waterproof dressing

Facility 

The finish on all surfaces within the salon area should be made of materials that are easily cleaned

Adequate lighting is required

The floor should be non-slip

A hand-washing sink should be available, with soap and single use towels

A separate sink that has a supply of clean, warm water for cleaning equipment should be available

A waste disposal bin should be available

Alcohol-based hand rub/sanitiser is to be available

Housekeeping  

The salon must be kept in a clean and hygienic condition at all times

Treatment areas such as benches should be cleaned between each resident 

Single-use Equipment 

To prevent cross-contamination, single-use-only equipment is required for specific procedures

Equipment that is difficult to clean should be used once only and then discarded 

Disposable razors are recommended for shaving and should be used once and then thrown away in a sharps container

Appropriate disposable gloves and aprons should be available

All liquids and creams should be decanted into single-use containers

A single-use applicator must be used for each person undergoing a treatment 

Multi-use Equipment 

All multi-use hairdressing equipment should be cleaned and sanitised appropriately; this includes

Combs, brushes, rollers, clippers, and scissors

Detachable blades on clippers 

Cleaning the equipment in warm water and detergent and allowing it to air dry should be sufficient

Equipment should not be soaked in solutions of disinfectant unless specified by the manufacturer's instructions

Reusable items that penetrate the skin must be sterilised between each use

Linen

Linen should be washed according to laundry standards

Single-use towels are to be provided

Towels or other types of linen used for covering or protection during the procedure must be clean at the start of each treatment

A clean covering should be placed over the treatment surface for each new resident