Keep It Clean

The season to be tan for parties and vacations is here, and summer is rapidly approaching. With warm weather making its presence known, masses of people are making their way to tanning salons to get their bronzed look.

Salon owners are seeing a definite increase in customer traffic, which means busier and longer hours topped with hectic schedules for all employees. During these busy times, it is typical to have lines of customers waiting for an available bed.

While salon owners want to keep customers happy by shortening waiting periods, they don’t want to neglect cleaning and inspecting tanning beds and booths. There are proactive ways to limit liability exposure by focusing adequate time and attention to inspecting and cleaning equipment.

During busy times, staff must avoid wiping down tanning beds too quickly. Employees need to spend enough time in the room to catch potential problems. If employees allow customers to tan in beds without first checking if the area is clean and safe, they could increase the risk of injuries.

For example, there was a claim where a customer was injured as he entered a tanning bed. In this case, the frame that held the acrylic in place was broken. The unsecured acrylic caused the customer to slip off the bed and incur neck and back injuries. The salon’s insurance company had to pay for medical bills for that client.

This situation could have been avoided if an employee properly inspected the room prior to the customer using the equipment. If the employee was aware of the loose acrylic, he should have shut down the bed until it received proper repairs. Normal wear and tear cause acrylics to become loose. To avoid pinching and other possible injuries, staff should call the manufacturer to determine how the acrylic should be maintained.

Filters also must be inspected and cared for on a regular basis. Filters are needed in most high-pressure beds and facial units to prevent overexposure. A few years ago, there was a large claim where customers suffered burns from a facial unit with a broken filter. Within one week, 14 tanners claimed they were burned from the same facial unit.

Some were teenage girls tanning for their upcoming senior proms. They suffered second-degree burns to their faces and necks and missed out on their proms. The salon’s insurance company had to pay out the maximum of the salon’s liability limits. Medical bills—in addition to pain and suffering for 14 people—used the salon’s entire aggregate limit.

The busy season also increases the risk of disease being spread through the use of tanning equipment. Wiping down the bed with a dry towel to remove moisture and lotion is not enough. It is crucial to thoroughly sanitize the beds to protect customers from spreading or receiving germs and viruses.

Most equipment is supplied with manuals on how to effectively maintain and clean the equipment. If a salon doesn’t have a manual for a piece of equipment, the owner should request one from the manufacturer. The manual should be used as a guide to train new employees. This will help ensure that beds are maintained and sterilized with proper disinfecting materials.

The busy season can mean big revenues for salons. With the increase of people using beds each day, salons need to be proactive by focusing on inspection, maintenance and cleaning schedules.

Contacting the equipment manufacturers for maintenance manuals and following the directions given will help reduce injuries and liabilities stemming from faulty or dirty equipment. It is important that salon owners keep records of all maintenance performed and have employees follow imposed standards. Doing this will help avoid losing time, money and the aggravation of litigation.