SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Underground services may be a thing of the past for hair stylists as Gov. Gavin Newsom announced changes to his current guidelines for businesses.
Gov. Newsom announced a change in the rules for hair salons and other beauty services in his Monday press conference.
Many in the salon and barbershop industry have been calling for this change ever since the state began its reopening phases. Some cosmetologists and barbers even going as far as to create an underground society of stylists, who have no choice but to work in secret.
Gov. Newsom said plans for salons and barbershops to continue operating have been in the works for some time now, but it was more complex than other outdoor business operations because of the use of chemicals in some beauty services.
"It was our intention to provide for barbershops and the like to be able to do their work outdoors. Turned out that was more challenging than it may have appeared," Newsom said.
Some of the guidelines include:
- Face coverings required for employees and customers during service; workers should also have access to face shields, gloves and other personal protective equipment
- Outdoor operations must be under a tent, canopy or other sun shelter as long as no more than one side is closed, allowing sufficient outdoor air movement
- Temperature screenings for employees; screenings recommended for customers upon arrival
- Businesses should confirm customer appointments in advance and ask if a customer or someone in their household exhibits COVID-19 symptoms
- Stagger appointments to reduce customer congestion at business; this will also give business time to clean/sanitize
- Recommended expansion of operating hours to space out customer appointments
- Suspend walk-in visits
- Frequently disinfect commonly used surfaces and workstations
- Clean and disinfect all electrical and non-electrical tools
- Ensure any outdoor shade or outdoor working area has the same ventilation and airflow as the outdoors
- Have designated outdoor area for customers to wait
Click here to view the state’s complete guidance sheet for hair salons and barbershops.
For nail salons, some of the guidelines for operating outdoors include:
- Clients will be asked to apply hand sanitizer before nail services
- Employees should wear face shield with face covering when performing service on client’s face or neck areas (when he/she is not wearing face covering)
- Clients won’t be allowed to have a manicure and pedicure on the same visit
- Workers must have disposable gloves when performing services
- Businesses will have to evaluate if plastic partitions can be used between employees and clients; implement social distancing of workstations
