How To Avoid Tanning Insurance Claims

Many of the claims we see at Insurtec could have been avoided if the proper preventative measures had been taken. Here are some helpful tips to follow to minimize your chances of having a tanning insurance claim.

General

• Post all local and state regulations and guidelines in a common area and make sure all employees are properly trained on all services offered.
• Certify all employees by either the state certification board or a safety certification organization.
• Equipment must be maintained and any damage repaired as soon as possible. If you have a cracked acrylic or broken hinge, take the unit out of service until it is repaired.
• Regularly administer a “self” inspection on your salon and identify areas that are potential risks and outline a plan to correct the issues.
• Since your employees are the main contact your clients will have with your salon, it is important to conduct regular performance reviews to avoid tanning insurance claims.

Eye Care

• Give eye protection to all clients and require that eye protection be used for all tanning sessions.
• Consider offering disposable eye protection at no charge.
• Educate your clients that closing your eyes or putting a towel over your face does not protect your eyes. Post guidelines in every room.

Tanning

• Go over all warnings and safety procedures with each client thoroughly.
• Make sure your clients understand their roles in the tanning process, understand skin typing and educate them on the risks of excessive tanning or not following recommended guidelines. Explain why the guidelines are important and beneficial to get the best tan they can have. Take a course from Sun is Life to understand skin typing completely. You’ll also get discounts for being certified.
• Keep detailed notes and documentation on tanning sessions, problems, unhappy clients or clients that mention burns or other issues.
• Do not allow clients to tan unless they have understood and signed your waiver form.

Slippery Flooring

• Slippery conditions are typically caused by water, spray products or freshly treated floors.
• Use extreme caution when dealing with newly waxed floors.
• If employees and clients are consistently slipping on the flooring in your business, you may need to consider a change in the flooring type.
• Consider installing flooring that is slip resistant, such as rough ceramic tile with a sure-grip finish.
• Place commercial mats with non-skid surfaces in trouble spots such as entryways and areas where water poses the threat of an accident.
• Consider installing railings in trouble areas.

Stairs

• If rooms are separated by one or two-step stairs, consider removing the stairs and replacing them with a gently sloping ramp.
• If you can’t eliminate the stairs, make sure the steps have non-slip surfaces and handrails on both sides.

Serving Clients

• Teach employees to assist clients properly and to work in ways that cut the threat of repetitive motion syndrome.
• Consider inviting a physical therapist to give employees an injury-prevention class at least once a year.

Chemicals

• Have safety procedures in place to cut the risk of chemical reactions.
• Include an area on your waiver card about allergic reactions.
• Educate employees on which type of reactions are most typical with each service you offer.

These are just a few of the precautions you can take to avoid tanning insurance claims in your salon. In general, put your safety procedures in writing and hold regular safety meetings. Also, many accidents occur because of preoccupied or frantic clients and employees. Concentrate on keeping a calm, steady pace in your business. One of the best ways to discover potential hazards is to investigate every area and service of the salon to point out problem areas and take actions to drop the risk associated with them.