How to master health & safety as a mobile tech

Providing manicures on the move means you’re never guaranteed the ideal working environment that you might have in a salon or treatment room. However, there are steps you can take to ensure you are delivering hygienic and safe practices for the benefit of both yourself and your clients.

Consider carrying a portable desk lamp and extension cable, both annually PAT-tested in case of poor lighting, and invest in a portable, lightweight manicure table to keep in the pot of your car to access when needed. A professional looking desk will also help to avoid damage to client property with spills and scuffs. You may also want to consider carrying a specialist technician’s stool to help with your own comfort and posture.

Carrying around a full salon set-up may cause strain, so streamline your kit with miniature bottles carried in a case with wheels. Alternatively, organise a smaller box or case for each service that can be retrieved as and when needed. “Keep all bottles and pots upright,” advises Rachel Gribble, Salon System educator. “I line my compartments with a thin plastic, which is easier to clean. Make sure all lids are secure and all bottles/pots are clean before being packed away. Clean with antiseptic or an antibacterial cleaner: do not use acetone as this could damage plastics and other materials.” Products such as disinfectant wipes can be useful as there are no liquids involved that can be spilled.

However, after setting up at a client’s home, ensure that your kit bag is zipped up and products are covered before beginning the treatment. “If you are mobile, keep your workbox closed while you are working or the dust will cover your products, which is what you are trying to protect them from,” adds Liz Richards, national sales and education manager for Cuccio Europe.

To avoid any injury or strain when carrying your kit from client-to-client, the HSE advises workers to keep the load close to the waist and body for as long as possible while lifting. Keep the heaviest side of the load closest to your body, ensure you have a good grip on your case and avoid twisting your back or leaning sideways. Keep your head up, look ahead and not down at the load.

Safety first
When visiting a new client, be sure to check the exact location of the premises online and always give your details to someone you can trust, or share your work calendar and/or appointments. Always have your mobile phone and a charger with you but on silent when with clients, and make sure the location services are switched on for an extra layer of security.

Never venture into premises in which you feel uncomfortable. If you can, try to talk to a new client on the phone before meeting them. Trust your gut; if something doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. To ensure personal safety, there are many mobile apps you can download such as StaySafe, Find My Friends or bSafe.

Wise waste
Practicing hygiene and safety doesn’t stop at the end of a treatment; be sure to dispose of chemicals correctly when finished with. “Soak up chemicals into tissue or mix any remaining monomer and polymer together, let it harden, then dispose of it in a suitable manner,” explains Rachel Gribble. “If you’re a mobile therapist, take any waste away with you, and never put it in a client’s bin. Never pour any chemicals down the sink as this could be very dangerous, as well as damaging to waste pipes. For large salons, all waste should be disposed in the correct waste bags and a specialised waste collection service should be used.”

Read more hygiene and safety tips in the February issue of Scratch!